The Seasonality of the Great Plains Low-Level Jet and ENSO Relationship

The Caribbean and Great Plains low-level jets of the Intra-Americas Seas serve as an important source of moisture for adjacent land and oceanic regions. The Caribbean low-level jet (CLLJ) transports moisture from the tropical Atlantic into the IntraAmericas Seas, which is further transferred over to the continental United States by the Great Plains Low-Level Jet (GPLLJ). Thus, the GPLLJ acts as a crucial conduit of moisture from the tropical Atlantic to the continental United States. The GPLLJ serves as an important source of rainfall over the agricultural land in the Great Plains and affects the tornadoes over the United States, by changing the vertical shear and moisture availability. On a seasonal basis, the GPLLJ has societal impacts on forestry and human health through its effect on seed dispersion, assisting the migration of birds and insects, which would further contribute to the influx of pests and disease causing agents. Therefore, better understanding of the controls on the variations of the GPLLJ has profound socio-economic implications over the US and is in line with NOAA objectives.