Strengthened Connections Between Arctic Sea Ice and Thermal Conditions Over the Tibetan Plateau in May After the 2000s

Abstract The thermal conditions of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) during spring are significantly related to climate changes on regional and hemispheric scales. The surface skin temperature over the TP in May exhibits an increasing trend over the northern and central‐western regions since the 2000s. This heterogeneous distribution has a strengthened relationship with changes in Arctic sea‐ice concentration (SIC) over the Barents‐Kara Seas after 2001, showing a significant negative correlation. Along with the dramatic SIC variations after 2001, there is a mid‐latitude wave train akin to the Circumglobal Teleconnection (CGT), accompanied by an anomalous anticyclone around the TP. On the one hand, the high‐latitude energy associated with the SIC changes spreads through the Barents‐Kara Seas toward the southeast, causing intensified westerly…