Climate Science and Policy

Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are intense, narrow corridors of water vapor transport that play a critical role in the exchange of heat and moisture between the atmosphere and the ocean. In the Antarctic, ARs are capable of carrying large amounts of latent and sensible heat to otherwise cold and dry environments, with immense impacts on surface energy budgets and sea ice dynamics. This study investigates the relationship between extreme turbulent heat flux events defined as the top 5% of latent and sensible heat flux anomalies and sea ice variability in the West Antarctic Peninsula during January and June, representing austral summer and winter, respectively. Events are classified as “AR” and “non-AR” using the tARget version 4 AR catalog. Using ERA5 reanalysis data, we analyze sea ice concentration alongside surface temperature, wind speed, and integrated vapor transport (IVT). Our findings aim to clarify the distinct roles that ARs play in modulating Antarctic sea ice, especially in a warming climate where ARs are projected to increase in frequency and intensity.