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North Atlantic influence on Tigris–Euphrates streamflow

  1. Heidi M. Cullen*,
  2. Peter B. deMenocal

Article first published online: 30 JUN 2000

DOI: 10.1002/1097-0088(20000630)20:8<853::AID-JOC497>3.0.CO;2-M

Issue

International Journal of Climatology

International Journal of Climatology

Volume 20, Issue 8, pages 853–863, 30 June 2000

Additional Information

How to Cite

Cullen, H. M. and deMenocal, P. B. (2000), North Atlantic influence on Tigris–Euphrates streamflow. International Journal of Climatology, 20: 853–863. doi: 10.1002/1097-0088(20000630)20:8<853::AID-JOC497>3.0.CO;2-M

Author Information

  1. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, 61 Route 9W, Palisades, NY 10964, USA

*Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, 61 Route 9W, Palisades, NY 10964, USA

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 30 JUN 2000
  2. Article first published online: 30 JUN 2000
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 9 SEP 1999
  4. Manuscript Revised: 7 SEP 1999
  5. Manuscript Received: 11 DEC 1998

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Keywords:

  • Turkey;
  • interannual–decadal variability;
  • temperature;
  • precipitation;
  • streamflow

Abstract

Changes in streamflow of the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers are shown to be associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), a large-scale mode of natural climate variability which governs the path of Atlantic mid-latitude storm tracks and precipitation in the eastern Mediterranean. Composite indices of Turkish winter (December–March, DJFM) temperature and precipitation are developed which capture the interannual–decadal climate variability for the Tigris–Euphrates headwater region, a significant source of freshwater for Turkey, Syria and Iraq. These indices are significantly correlated with the NAO, with 27% of the variance in precipitation accounted for by this natural mechanism. As evidenced by the recent widespread drought events of 1984, 1989 and 1990, the Tigris–Euphrates streamflow also exhibits significant, ∼±40% variability, associated with extrema. Copyright © 2000 Royal Meteorological Society

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