Probabilistic Response of the Atmosphere
of the Northern Hemisphere to El Nio Events

V. I. Byshev and M. M. Lebedev

Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

Received April 27, 1999; in final form, February 7, 2000

Abstract—We analyze sea level atmospheric pressure fields, surface air temperature, and geopotential surface
height, H₅₀₀, in the Northern Hemisphere during the 20th century. Mean atmospheric conditions are calculated
from representative samples for El Nio and La Nia events for both phases, and characteristic features of
atmospheric disturbances during the transition from the La Nia to El Nio phase are estimated. The atmo-
sphere of the Northern Hemisphere is shown to be strongly disturbed during El Nio. The most significant
changes are observed in the Siberian and Pacific sectors, with much more intensive disturbances in the cold sea-
sons. El Nio events are found to be one of the agents responsible for the short-period oscillations of the cli-
matic system.

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