Unparalleled coupled ocean-atmosphere summer heatwaves in the New Zealand region: drivers, mechanisms and impacts

• Published in: Climatic change Vol. 162; no. 2; pp. 485 - 506
• Main Authors: Salinger, M. James, Diamond, Howard J., Behrens, Erik, Fernandez, Denise, Fitzharris, B. Blair, Herold, Nicholas, Johnstone, Paul, Kerckhoffs, Huub, Mullan, A. Brett, Parker, Amber K., Renwick, James, Scofield, Claire, Siano, Allan, Smith, Robert O., South, Paul M., Sutton, Phil J., Teixeira, Edmar, Thomsen, Mads S., Trought, Michael C. T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.09.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: 20th century; Ablation; Advection; Air temperature; Alps region; Anomalies; Antarctic Oscillation; Apricots; Atmosphere; Atmospheric circulation; Atmospheric circulation anomalies; Atmospheric circulation patterns; Atmospheric Sciences; Cherries; Climate change; Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Flowering; General circulation models; Heat; Heat transport; Heat waves; Heatwaves; Ice; Marine ecosystems; New Zealand; Ocean warming; Ocean-atmosphere system; Oceans; Sea level; Sea surface; Sea surface temperature; Sea surface temperature anomalies; snow; Spring wheat; Summer; Surface temperature; Tasman Sea; Temperature; Temperature anomalies; Terrestrial ecosystems; Wines; New Zealand; Alps region; Tasman Sea; Anthropogenic global warming; Marine ecosystems; Atmospheric heatwave; Terrestrial ecosystems; Marine heatwave; Crops

During austral summers (DJF) 1934/35, 2017/18 and 2018/19, the New Zealand (NZ) region (approximately 4 million km 2 ) experienced the most intense coupled ocean-atmosphere heatwaves on record. Average air temperature anomalies over land were + 1.7 to 2.1 °C while sea surface temperatures (SST) were...