Medium and extended range predictability and stability of the Pacific/North American mode

Abstract It is shown from an assessment of a small set of extended range forecasts from two centres, and from a much larger set of medium range forecasts from one centre, that variability in predictive skill is strongly related to fluctuations in the Pacific/North American (PNA) mode of low frequency variability. A hypothesis is put forward that this is associated with the dependence of large‐scale instability of the forecast flow on the amplitude of the PNA mode. The hypothesis is tested in a barotropic model using as basic states, composite skilful and unskilful cases from the set of medium range forecasts and individual monthly mean fields. Results from the barotropic stability analysis suggests possible reasons for the asymmetric nature of the response of general circulation models to sea surface temperature anomalies of opposite sign, relevant to forecasting on monthly to seasonal timescales. Observational evidence for the stability hypothesis is also discussed.