Paper 1 



ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION IN 1976 



Elizabeth D. Haynes 



In the Nortn Atlantic/ 1976 was characterized by pressure 

 patterns near normal in position but more intense than usual. 

 The winter storms were severer but tracked farther north than 

 normal allowing mild conditions to penetrate northward. In June 

 an anomalous and persistent high pressure center settled over 

 western Europe^ creating a severe drought for nearly four months. 

 3y October^ the ridge progressed to the east and the weather 

 returned essentially to normal. At the year's end/ winter North 

 Atlantic storms harrassed the shipping Ignes. 



Surface pressure patterns in the North Pacific also were near 

 normal in position^ on the wholes but more intense than usual. 

 Air flow over the area south Df the Gulf of Alaska was more zonal 

 than usual uat i I the last quarter^ when a persistent ridge along 

 the U.S. west coast forced surface winas to back (rotate counter- 

 clockwise) and become southwesterly. Farther souths north of 

 ZQHf surface conditions approximated the long-term (1948-70) 

 mean . 



In the equatorial Pacific/^ wine and pressure patterns resembled 



those of ^97df witn a weakened southeastern Pacific suotropical 



high/' and Southern Hemisphere storms passing to the north of 

 their usual tracks. 



At the 7 CO mb Level/ winds were much stronger than average all 

 year. Northern Hemisphere flow was primarily zonal the first 

 quarter/ with troughs and ridges beginning to develop in April. 

 Deepening continued through the summer/ though zonal flow 

 persisted over the North "Pacific. A strong blocking ridge became 



'This paper is summarized from the Atlantic and Pacific logs in 

 liaLiQeCi ijLeather Loq/ Vols. 20 and 21; the weather ana 

 circulation articles in MonthL.^ !i!.§ather Reyjew/ Vols. 104 ana 

 135/ and cant ri but i ons in the Proceedings of the NOAA Climate 

 Diagnostic Workshop/ NOAA/ November 4-5/ 1976/ Washington/ DC. 



"Resource Assess riient Division/ National l^arine Fisheries 

 Service/ NOAA/ Washington/ DC 20235. 



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