• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

RealClimate

Climate science from climate scientists...

  • Start here
  • Model-Observation Comparisons
  • Miscellaneous Climate Graphics
  • Surface temperature graphics
You are here: Home / Extras / Glossary / Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (“AMO”) Oscillation Atlantique Multi-Décennale (“AMO”)

Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (“AMO”) Oscillation Atlantique Multi-Décennale (“AMO”)

28 Nov 2004 by group

A multidecadal (50-80 year timescale) pattern of North Atlantic ocean-atmosphere variability whose existence has been argued for based on statistical analyses of observational and proxy climate data, and coupled Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Model (“AOGCM”) simulations. This pattern is believed to describe some of the observed early 20th century (1920s-1930s) high-latitude Northern Hemisphere warming and some, but not all, of the high-latitude warming observed in the late 20th century. The term was introduced in a summary by Kerr (2000) of a study by Delworth and Mann (2000).
Mode de variabilité de l’océan et atmosphère de l’Atlantique Nord a l’échelle de temps multi-décennale (50 a 70 ans). Ce mode a été décrit sur la base d’analyses statistiques de données climatiques instrumentales et reconstruites par des proxies, ainsi que de simulations numériques de modèles couplés Océan-Atmosphère. Ce mode de variabilité contient une partie du réchauffement aux hautes latitudes de l’hémisphère Nord dans le début du 20ème siècle (années 1920-1930), et également en partie (mais pas tout) du réchauffement aux hautes latitudes observé a la fin du 20ème siècle. Ce terme a été employé pour la première fois par R.Kerr dans un résumé de l’étude de Delworth et Mann (2000).

Filed Under: Glossary

Primary Sidebar

Search

Search for:

Email Notification

get new posts sent to you automatically (free)
Loading

Recent Posts

  • AI/ML climate magic?
  • Unforced variations: Jan 2026
  • 1.5ºC and all that
  • Unforced Variations: Dec 2025
  • Who should pay?
  • Site updates etc.

Our Books

Book covers
This list of books since 2005 (in reverse chronological order) that we have been involved in, accompanied by the publisher’s official description, and some comments of independent reviewers of the work.
All Books >>

Recent Comments

  • Data on Unforced variations: Jan 2026
  • Data on 1.5ºC and all that
  • Data on 1.5ºC and all that
  • Data on Unforced variations: Jan 2026
  • Piotr on Unforced variations: Jan 2026
  • Mal Adapted on 1.5ºC and all that
  • Piotr on Unforced variations: Jan 2026
  • Data on 1.5ºC and all that
  • Data on 1.5ºC and all that
  • Data on 1.5ºC and all that
  • MA Rodger on Unforced variations: Jan 2026
  • Crusty Caballero on 1.5ºC and all that
  • Susan Anderson on 1.5ºC and all that
  • Tomáš Kalisz on Unforced variations: Jan 2026
  • Susan Anderson on AI/ML climate magic?
  • Atomsk’s Sanakan on 1.5ºC and all that
  • Atomsk’s Sanakan on 1.5ºC and all that
  • Atomsk’s Sanakan on 1.5ºC and all that
  • jgnfld on 1.5ºC and all that
  • Barton Paul Levenson on AI/ML climate magic?
  • Piotr on 1.5ºC and all that
  • Data on 1.5ºC and all that
  • Pete Best on 1.5ºC and all that
  • Data on 1.5ºC and all that
  • Data on AI/ML climate magic?
  • Atomsk’s Sanakan on 1.5ºC and all that
  • Keith Woollard on 1.5ºC and all that
  • Atomsk’s Sanakan on Unforced variations: Jan 2026
  • Data on 1.5ºC and all that
  • Data on Unforced variations: Jan 2026

Footer

ABOUT

  • About
  • Translations
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Page
  • Login

DATA AND GRAPHICS

  • Data Sources
  • Model-Observation Comparisons
  • Surface temperature graphics
  • Miscellaneous Climate Graphics

INDEX

  • Acronym index
  • Index
  • Archives
  • Contributors

Realclimate Stats

1,392 posts

15 pages

249,275 comments

Copyright © 2026 · RealClimate is a commentary site on climate science by working climate scientists for the interested public and journalists.