Evaluating AMIP6 Models of the Indian Ocean–North America Teleconnection Associated with the Indian Ocean Basin Mode

Tropical-extratropical teleconnections play a central role in shaping the North American winter climate, with most previous studies focusing on influences from the tropical Pacific. Recent studies suggest a wintertime Indian Ocean–North America (INA) teleconnection associated with the Indian Ocean Basin Mode (IOBM), yet its robustness across climate models remains uncertain. By employing multiple atmospheric reanalysis datasets and AMIP6 models, this study evaluates the atmospheric circulation and surface climate responses linked to the IOBM. Reanalysis datasets consistently reveal a coherent North Pacific–North American circulation pattern, accompanied by a zonally asymmetric surface temperature response. The AMIP multi-model ensemble mean reproduces the overall spatial structure and vertical coherence of this teleconnection, while exhibiting regional differences in amplitude. Using self-organizing map analysis, the AMIP models are classified into four distinct circulation response patterns, which may be associated with variations in the strength and axial position of the upper-tropospheric jet. These results support the robustness of the INA teleconnection across models and offer insight into the representation of Indian Ocean-driven climate variability in atmospheric simulations.