A new framework is proposed for investigating the atmospheric forcing of North-Atlantic ocean circulation. Instead of using classical modes of variability, such as the North-Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) or the East-Atlantic Pattern, we here use the weather regimes paradigm. Using this framework we avoid problems associated with the assumptions of orthogonality and symmetry that are particular to modal analysis and known to be unsuitable for the NAO. Using ocean-only historical and sensitivity experiments, we investigate the impacts of the four winter weather regimes on horizontal and overturning circulations. Our results suggest that the Atlantic Ridge (AR), NAO− and NAO+ regimes induce a fast (monthly to interannual timescales) adjustment of the gyres via... |