Pacific Decadal Oscillation (Q870)

Subject, term, tag: Pacific Decadal Oscillation

Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO)

Language	Label	Description	Also known as
English	Pacific Decadal Oscillation	Subject, term, tag: Pacific Decadal Oscillation	Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO)

Statements

Instance of

Category

source version

IPCC Glossary v1.5

1 reference

Source

https://apps.ipcc.ch/glossary/

date accessed

27 May 2026

Part of

Working Group I: Climate Change 2021 – The Physical Science Basis

0 references

Definition

The leading mode of variability obtained from decomposition in empirical orthogonal function of sea surface temperature over the North Pacific north of 20°N, and characterized by a strong decadal component. The positive phase of the PDO features a dipole of sea surface temperature anomalies in the North Pacific, with a cold lobe near the centre of the basin and extending westward along the Kuroshio, encircled by warmer conditions along the coast of North America and in the subtropics. A positive PDO is accompanied by an intensified Aleutian Low and an associated cyclonic circulation enhancement leading to teleconnections over the continents adjacent to the North Pacific. In the AR6 WGI report, the PDO is encapsulated within the definition and description of Pacific Decadal Variability (PDV). See also Section AIV.2.6 in Annex IV of the AR6 WGI report. From Wikipedia During a "warm", or "positive", phase, the west Pacific becomes cooler and part of the eastern ocean warms; during a "cool", or "negative", phase, the opposite pattern occurs. (English)