The seasonality of the Great Plains low-level jet and ENSO relationship

The observed GPLLJ and El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) relation undergoes seasonal changes with a stronger GPLLJ associated with La Niña in boreal spring and El Niño in boreal summer. The ability of the GFDL Forecast-Oriented Low Ocean Resolution (FLOR) global coupled climate model, which has the high-resolution atmospheric and land components, to simulate the observed seasonality in the GPLLJ-ENSO relationship is assessed.

The importance of simulating the magnitude and phase locking of ENSO accurately in order to better simulate its seasonal teleconnections with the Intra-Americas Sea (IAS) is demonstrated. This study explores the mechanisms for seasonal changes in the GPLLJ-ENSO relation in model and observations. It is hypothesized that ENSO affects the GPLLJ variability through the Caribbean low-level jet (CLLJ) during the summer and spring seasons.