Cyclone Climatology of the Bering Sea and Its Relation to Sea Ice Extent

Abstract
A monthly storm-track climatology is derived from monthly maps of cyclone tracks for the winter season, October through March, averaged over 23 years, 1957/58–1979/80, for a 2° latitude×4° longitude grid bounded by 51°N, 65°N, 157°W and 171°E. There is a decrease in the number of cyclones with latitude in all months and division into two storm tracks, one propagating north-northeast along the Siberian peninsula and one entering the southern Bering Sea on a northeasterly course and either curving northward into the central Bering Sea or continuing parallel to the Aleutian Island chain. Monthly average ice extents are established for February and March 1958–80 along a line from Norton Sound southwest toward the ice edge, perpendicular to the average maximum extent. Comparison of composite cyclone charts summed over the winter season and over the five heaviest and five lightest ice years shows a shift in cyclone centers toward the west in light ice years. The correlation between maximum seasonal ice... Abstract A monthly storm-track climatology is derived from monthly maps of cyclone tracks for the winter season, October through March, averaged over 23 years, 1957/58–1979/80, for a 2° latitude×4° longitude grid bounded by 51°N, 65°N, 157°W and 171°E. There is a decrease in the number of cyclones with latitude in all months and division into two storm tracks, one propagating north-northeast along the Siberian peninsula and one entering the southern Bering Sea on a northeasterly course and either curving northward into the central Bering Sea or continuing parallel to the Aleutian Island chain. Monthly average ice extents are established for February and March 1958–80 along a line from Norton Sound southwest toward the ice edge, perpendicular to the average maximum extent. Comparison of composite cyclone charts summed over the winter season and over the five heaviest and five lightest ice years shows a shift in cyclone centers toward the west in light ice years. The correlation between maximum seasonal ice...

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