Summary
Two different blocking indices are computed for the Southern Hemisphere for the period 1979–1985, one is based on sea level pressure and the other on upper tropospheric zonal wind. The Southern Hemisphere blocking climatology based on these two indices separately presents very similar results, mainly in identifying the region of maximum occurrence over eastern Australia and the western Pacific. The sea level presure index shows strong orographic influences, while the 250hPa zonal wind index is not affected by orography but does exaggerate seasonal variations. It is apparent that blocking occurrence in the eastern Australia and neighbouring areas has a link with climatological atmospheric features.
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Kayano, M.T., Kousky, V.E. Southern Hemisphere blocking: A comparison between two indices. Meteorl. Atmos. Phys. 42, 165–170 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01314822
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01314822