Abstract
Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) of the Gulf Stream and the Kuroshio are
shown to be synchronized for the decadal time scale. This
synchronization, which we refer to as the Boundary Current
Synchronization (BCS), is associated with meridional migrations of the
atmospheric jet stream. The singular value decomposition (SVD) between
SST and zonal wind shows that, within the context of known climate
modes, BCS can be understood as the covariability shared by the Pacific
Decadal Oscillation and the Northern Annular Mode. Nevertheless, because
the SVD time series exhibit high correlations with the zonal-mean
meridional SST difference between the subtropics and the midlatitudes,
BCS can be understood more simply as an oceanic annular mode. Air
temperature regressed on the BCS index exhibits a similar spatial
pattern to temperature observed in July 2018.