TELECONNECTIONS BETWEEN NORTH PACIFIC SST ANOMALIES AND GROWING-SEASON EXTENDED DRY SPELLS ON THE CANADIAN PRAIRIES

This investigation documents the relationships between anomalous North Pacific sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) and the occurrence of growing season extended dry spells on the Canadian Prairies. Results show a s ignificant correlation between extended dry spells and a positive SST anomaly gradient in the east-central North Pacific. The gradient exist s between an area of anomalously cold water in the east-central North Pacific in the area 30-degrees-N-40-degrees-N latitude and 165-degrees -W-135-degrees-W longitude, and an area of anomalously warm water alon g the central west coast of North America in the area 45-degrees-N-55- degrees-N latitude and 130-degrees-W-125-degrees-W longitude. A probab ility model shows that the longer this positive gradient persists, the greater the probability of a major extended dry spell on the Canadian Prairies.