This repository contains the python scripts and generated interactive plotly figures to visualize the 3D structure of Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) events.
Background:
These figures were originally generated as part of my BSc thesis (2025): Impact of the stratospheric polar vortex on temperature and precipitation in the Northern Hemisphere climate. Supervisor: Cristina Peña-Ortiz.
The included script (3d_SSWvortex_plev_ght_anom_1yr.py) processes ERA5 daily geopotential data to construct a 3D animated timeline of the geopotential height anomalies. The event onset (day 0) is classified automatically by identifying at least 10 consecutive days where the zonal wind at 10hPa (60°N) is negative (u < 0). Minor events follow the same rule at 1hPa.
You can view the interactive timeline directly via GitHub Pages:
https://oscarmtr.github.io/SSWs-vortex-plot/
Events without contributor attribution in their card are produced by the repository maintainer and follow the common data framework below.
Data
Plotted events were calculated using the geopotential average from 2000 to 2024 of ERA5.
- Source: ERA5 reanalysis (daily)
- Resolution: 2.5°
- Variable: Geopotential Height (GHT)
- Pressure levels (26): 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 20, 30, 50, 70, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 800, 900, 1000 hPa (commons)
Anyone who wants to contribute is welcome! You can generate your own SSW event visualization and submit it via Pull Request. Please follow the instructions in CONTRIBUTING.md for a step-by-step guide, and check CONTRIBUTORS.md for the list of community contributions and their technical details.
Content is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. The source code is licensed under GNU AGPLv3.