The study was led by ZHAO Liang and XIAO Ziniu of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with DING Yihui of China's National Climate Centre and SHEN Xinyong of Nanjing University. They found that colder winters were linked to more frequent simultaneous atmospheric blocking highs over the Ural Mountains of Russia and the North Pacific. These systems worked together to strengthen high pressure at higher latitudes, blocking the eastward movement of weather systems and prolonging cold spells.  

 

While winter temperatures in China have warmed overall with climate change, the study found that intense high-pressure systems can temporarily override this effect, more than doubling the probability of extreme cold events. Ural highs mainly influenced the intensity of the cold, while North Pacific highs affected duration.

 

The results highlight the complex interplay between warming and natural variability in the climate system. Despite long-term warming, atmospheric fluctuations can still lead to periods of extreme cold, though likely with decreasing frequency and severity over time due to climate change.

 

"I hope our findings could improve predictions of these extreme weather events in China and help authorities better prepare for and respond to their substantial impacts." said the lead author ZHAO Liang. 

 

Reference

Zhao, L., Dong, W. *, Shen, X. Ding Y., Li Q., Hu Y., and Xiao Z*. Human activity and simultaneous high-pressure anomalies influence the long-duration cold events of winter in China. Climate Dynamics, (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-023-06719-5