Trends in mid-latitude cyclone frequency and occurrence during fire season in the Northern Rockies: 1900-2004.

We examined changes in the timing and frequency of major midlatitude cyclones (MLCs) during August through October for eight climate stations in the Northern Rockies from 1900-2004. As MLCs can effectively diminish fire activity through both cooler temperatures and higher humidity/precipitation, we also determined if area burned by wildfires from 1940-2004 was correlated with the timing and frequency of these events. Our results indicate that: (1) significant long-term trends in MLCs exist, as the timing of the first MLC has occurred later in the year during the past century, with a marked upward shift post-mid-1980s; (2) MLC frequency has significantly declined since 1900, with a pronounced decrease also beginning in the mid-1980s; (3) the relationships between the timing of the first MLC and frequency of MLCs with forest area burned are significant; and (4) mid-tropospheric ridging upstream from the Northern Rockies that blocks MLCs has become more pronounced. Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union