Southern Research Station

Title: Florida wildfire activity and atmospheric teleconnections

Author: Goodrick, S.L.

Date: 2009

Source: Journal

Description: 

Since 1991, the Florida Division of Forestry has been making seasonal fire severity forecasts based on a
relationship between area burned in Florida and El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The present study extends the
original analysis on which these forecasts are based and attempts to augment it with the addition of other patterns of
climate variability. Two atmospheric teleconnection patterns, the North Atlantic Oscillation and Pacific–North American
pattern, are examined as potential indicators of seasonal and monthly area burned in Florida. Although ENSO was the only
climate index to show a significant correlation to area burned in Florida, the Pacific–North American pattern (PNA) is
shown to be a factor influencing fire season severity although the relationship is not monotonic and therefore not revealed
by correlation analysis.

Keywords: 

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Citation

Goodrick, S.L.  2009.  Florida wildfire activity and atmospheric teleconnections.   Journal.