Rossby wave dynamics stands at the intersection of several open research questions, ranging from our basic understanding of mid-latitude variability to the short- and medium-range predictability of high-impact weather events, and to the circulation changes expected from anthropogenic global warming. Rossby waves exist and propagate along vorticity gradients such as the one related to the tropopause-level jet stream, whose complex meandering often "breaks" leaving the place to nonlinear circulation features, such as atmospheric blocking.
Recent extreme weather and climate episodes, like the western European drought of winter 2023, summer flooding (e.g. in Germany and Switzerland in 2024), the recurrent and concurrent summer heatwaves or the unforeseen winter cold spells (e.g. in Scandinavia in winter 2023/24), highlight the need to further our understanding of jet streams and of the associated linear and non-linear, planetary and synoptic-scale Rossby wave dynamics in the atmosphere, and of their impacts on weather and climate events.
Abstracts are invited on a wide range of topics, with a focus on, but not limited to, the following areas:
(1) The dynamics of propagating or quasi-stationary Rossby waves, of wave breaking, atmospheric blocking, or of jet streams acting as atmospheric Rossby waveguides. This includes the role of local and remote drivers (e.g., the tropics, Arctic, or stratosphere) in affecting Rossby wave evolution.
(2) Exploring the links between extreme weather/climate events and the jet stream, as well as the associated linear and non-linear Rossby wave evolution during such events, including wave breaking and/or blocking.
(3) Quantifying model representation of Rossby waves in climate and numerical weather prediction models, including wave propagation and breaking.
(4) Exploring the effect of Rossby wave packets on predictability at lead times from medium range (~2 weeks) to seasonal time-scales. This includes the potential role of blocking and of teleconnections involving Rossby wave propagation.
(5) Analyzing projected future changes in planetary or synoptic-scale Rossby waves, or in their future connection to weather and climate events.
Recent extreme weather and climate episodes, like the western European drought of winter 2023, summer flooding (e.g. in Germany and Switzerland in 2024), the recurrent and concurrent summer heatwaves or the unforeseen winter cold spells (e.g. in Scandinavia in winter 2023/24), highlight the need to further our understanding of jet streams and of the associated linear and non-linear, planetary and synoptic-scale Rossby wave dynamics in the atmosphere, and of their impacts on weather and climate events.
Abstracts are invited on a wide range of topics, with a focus on, but not limited to, the following areas:
(1) The dynamics of propagating or quasi-stationary Rossby waves, of wave breaking, atmospheric blocking, or of jet streams acting as atmospheric Rossby waveguides. This includes the role of local and remote drivers (e.g., the tropics, Arctic, or stratosphere) in affecting Rossby wave evolution.
(2) Exploring the links between extreme weather/climate events and the jet stream, as well as the associated linear and non-linear Rossby wave evolution during such events, including wave breaking and/or blocking.
(3) Quantifying model representation of Rossby waves in climate and numerical weather prediction models, including wave propagation and breaking.
(4) Exploring the effect of Rossby wave packets on predictability at lead times from medium range (~2 weeks) to seasonal time-scales. This includes the potential role of blocking and of teleconnections involving Rossby wave propagation.
(5) Analyzing projected future changes in planetary or synoptic-scale Rossby waves, or in their future connection to weather and climate events.