The connection of the Arctic Oscillation(AO)with the frequency of temperature extremes over East Asia during boreal winter has been documented by many studies.This study describes an asymmetry in the relationship between the January AO and the simultaneous cold extremes in Northeast China(NEC),and further reveals a breakdown of this relationship.It is demonstrated that the frequency of January cold extremes in NEC shows significant(insignificant)negative correlation with the simultaneous negative(positive)phase of the AO.One possible explanation for such an asymmetry is that the Arctic center of negative AO extends more southwards to Siberia compared with that of positive AO,conducive to a closer connection with the frequency of an extreme Siberian high.As a result,the frequency of January cold extremes in NEC shows a more significant relationship with the negative AO.The other related explanation is that,concurrent with the negative phase of the AO,there is an evident meridional stationary planetary wave in the upper troposphere around(30°N,100–300 hP a),which disappears in the positive AO.Therefore,the negative AO could better reflect the fluctuation of the subtropical westerly wind and the synoptic-scale transient wave activity,which is closely related to the frequency of cold extremes in NEC.Along with a positive polarity of the AO trend since the mid-1980s,the connection between the cold extremes over NEC and the AO during January has been weakened.
The connection of the Arctic Oscillation(AO)with the frequency of temperature extremes over East Asia during boreal winter has been documented by many studies.This study describes an asymmetry in the relationship between the January AO and the simultaneous cold extremes in Northeast China(NEC),and further reveals a breakdown of this relationship.It is demonstrated that the frequency of January cold extremes in NEC shows significant(insignificant)negative correlation with the simultaneous negative(positive)phase of the AO.One possible explanation for such an asymmetry is that the Arctic center of negative AO extends more southwards to Siberia compared with that of positive AO,conducive to a closer connection with the frequency of an extreme Siberian high.As a result,the frequency of January cold extremes in NEC shows a more significant relationship with the negative AO.The other related explanation is that,concurrent with the negative phase of the AO,there is an evident meridional stationary planetary wave in the upper troposphere around(30°N,100–300 hP a),which disappears in the positive AO.Therefore,the negative AO could better reflect the fluctuation of the subtropical westerly wind and the synoptic-scale transient wave activity,which is closely related to the frequency of cold extremes in NEC.Along with a positive polarity of the AO trend since the mid-1980s,the connection between the cold extremes over NEC and the AO during January has been weakened.