Ural Blocking Driving Extreme Arctic Sea Ice Loss, Cold Eurasia, and Stratospheric Vortex Weakening in Autumn and Early Winter 2016–2017

This study investigates the dynamics that led to the repeated cold surges over midlatitude Eurasia, exceptionally warm conditions and sea ice loss over the Arctic, and the unseasonable weakening of the stratospheric polar vortex in autumn and early winter 2016–2017. We use ERA‐Interim reanalysis data and COBE sea ice and sea surface temperature observational data to trace the dynamical pathways that caused these extreme phenomena. Following...