Arctic CyclonesClimatology – Summer

Number of surface cyclone centers, 1958–2005, per 250km × 250km area for summer (Dec-Feb) based on NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis, excluding Greenland

In summer, storms occur most frequently over the central Arctic Ocean. These storms tend to originate either over northern Eurasia, where we see a concentration of storms, or along the Eurasian coast, where there is a strong temperature contrast in the summer months.

Mean 500-mb Height (gpm) for July, 1958–2005, based on NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis

Winds at 500 mb tend to steer storms parallel to the coast across Eurasia and Alaska. Storms that originate over North America tend to move southeast, away from the Arctic.

Mean MSLP (mb) for July, 1958–2005, based on NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis

In contrast to winter, summer MSLP over the Arctic shows a strong gradient along the Eurasian coast. The rest of the field is fairly flat with a weak low located near the North Pole, reflecting the frequent occurrence of cyclones in this region.