A composite-based analysis of the dynamical linkage of atmospheric rivers, warm conveyor belts, and extratropical cyclones

Ferreira, Tiago M.; Trigo, Ricardo M.; Pinto, Joaquim G.; Quinting, Julian; Christ, Svenja; Ramos, Alexandre M.

doi:10.5194/wcd-7-2043-2026

Articles | Volume 7, issue 4

https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-7-2043-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-7-2043-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 7, issue 4

Research article

|

14 Oct 2026

Research article |

| 14 Oct 2026

A composite-based analysis of the dynamical linkage of atmospheric rivers, warm conveyor belts, and extratropical cyclones

Tiago M. Ferreira, Ricardo M. Trigo, Joaquim G. Pinto, Julian Quinting, Svenja Christ, and Alexandre M. Ramos

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-7-2043-2026-supplement

Data sets

ERA5 hourly data on single levels from 1940 to present Copernicus Climate Change Service, Climate Data Store https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.adbb2d47

Model code and software

EuLerian Identification of ascending AirStreams (ELIAS 2.0) in Numerical Weather Prediction and Climate Models Julian F. Quinting and Christian M. Grams https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5154980

Short summary

The study analyses how atmospheric river characteristics change in relation to warm conveyor belt ascent and how these changes evolve over the extratropical cyclone lifecycle. Using reanalysis data, we show that the ascent intensifies both the moisture content and precipitation values within the atmospheric river, and that this intensification occurs around the maximum deepening point of the extratropical cyclone. These can improve weather forecasts and early warnings for floods in Europe.