Subseasonal Forecast Skill for Weekly Mean Atmospheric Variability Over the Northern Hemisphere in Winter and Its Relationship to Midlatitude Teleconnections

Abstract This study assesses the subseasonal predictability of the weekly mean geopotential height anomaly at 500 hPa and its relationship to teleconnections over the Northern Hemisphere in winter. The skill over the North Pacific, Canada, and Greenland is higher than over other areas for weeks 3 and 4 forecasts. These peaks correspond to the centers of action for the Pacific–North American (PNA) pattern and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). PNA (NAO phase) predictions are better for El Niño years at lead times of 3–4 weeks (2–4 weeks). The effects of La Niña forcing on PNA and NAO forecasts are small compared with the El Niño forcing. Numerical models have a negative PNA bias at these lead times in La Niña years. Results suggest that the improvement in the midlatitude upper‐level jet rather than in the response to El Niño–Southern Oscillation forcing in the tropics could lead to better S2S predictions.