JANUARY AND JULY GLOBAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF ATMOSPHERIC HEATING FOR 1986, 1987, AND 1988

Three-dimensional global distributions of atmospheric heating are esti mated for January and July of the 3-year period 1986-88 from the ECMWF /TOGA assimilated datasets. Emphasis is placed on the interseasonal an d interannual variability of heating both locally and regionally. Larg e fluctuations in the magnitude of heating and the disposition of maxi ma/minima in the Tropics occur over the 3-year period. This variabilit y, which is largely in accord with anomalous precipitation expected du ring the ENSO cycle, appears realistic. In both January and July, inte rannual differences of 1.0-1.5 K day-1 in the vertically averaged heat ing occur over the tropical Pacific. These interannual regional differ ences are substantial in comparison with maximum monthly averaged heat ing rates of 2.0-2.5 K day-1. In the extratropics, the most prominent interannual variability occurs along the wintertime North Atlantic cyc lone track. Vertical profiles of heating from selected regions also re veal large interannual variability. Clearly evident is the modulation of the heating within tropical regions of deep moist convection associ ated with the evolution of the ENSO cycle. The heating integrated over continental and oceanic basins emphasizes the impact of land and ocea n surfaces on atmospheric energy balance and depicts marked interseaso nal and interannual large-scale variability.