The dynamics of the atmosphere in the extratropics is characterized by the coexistence of multiple fundamental processes spanning a variety of spatio-temporal scales. The interactions between the atmosphere and the oceans are central to several of these, while the interaction with sea-ice also plays a major role in high latitudes. The thermal contrast between the ocean and land surface, the different thermal inertia of the ocean and the atmosphere, and the moisture and heat exchange between the two are important for the general circulation of the atmosphere and oceans, and indicate that both a thermodynamic and a dynamic perspective are needed for understanding this topic. For example the oceanic anomalies, through air-sea interactions, affect the atmospheric dynamics already at the weather scales, and the atmosphere can quickly transfer anomalies towards remote areas, as in the case of diabatic heating along frontal zones. Atmospheric rivers originating over oceanic surfaces affect the formation of synoptic systems in the mid-latitudes and trigger climate extremes. Careful understanding of these mechanisms is crucial, especially regarding the assessment and predictability of extreme events, and the capability to discern the impacts of anthropogenic climate change on the variability of the climate system.
We welcome all contributions on the interactions between the oceanic and atmospheric circulation. These include investigations of atmosphere – ocean dynamics and thermodynamics at hemispheric and regional scales, including the role of sea-ice, and both weather and climate timescales. We also encourage submissions that address and compare different methodologies, e.g. detection of dominant patterns or weather regimes, dimensionality reduction involving traditional techniques such as PCA and EOFs, or new methods such as random forest or other AI-based algorithms. Model intercomparisons, and evaluations of past and future climate projections, are also welcome.