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El Nino gives colder European winters
Climate scientists have confirmed links between the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) - a natural oscillation in the Pacific Ocean - and the weather over Europe in late winter.
A letter in Nature Geoscience published this week outlines Met Office Hadley Centre findings. Scientists have extended computer models into the upper atmosphere to show evidence of the atmospheric link from the Pacific to Europe.
Sarah Ineson, climate research scientist at the Met Office says: "We have shown evidence of an active stratospheric role in the transition to cold conditions in northern Europe and mild conditions in southern Europe in late winter during El Nino years."
ENDS
Notes:
* The Met Office Hadley Centre is the UK's foremost centre for climate change research. Partly funded by Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and the Ministry of Defence.
* The full text of the letter published in Nature Geoscience can be found at http://www.nature.com/ngeo/index.html
* The Met Office is the UK's National Weather Service, providing 24x7 world-renowned scientific excellence in weather, climate and environmental forecasts and severe weather warnings for the protection of life and property.
For more information please contact the Met Office Press Office on 01392 886655
