Sea‐surface temperature and southern oscillation signal in the upper stratosphere‐lower mesosphere

Using rocketsonde‐derived data for 17 years (1969–1985) the relationship between the Southern Oscillation (SO), sea surface temperature (SST) and temperature at the northern upper stratosphere‐middle mesosphere is investigated. In the upper stratosphere‐middle mesosphere region a strong correlation is found between the SO signal and temperature. In the same atmospheric region and in the northern subtropics a correlation is also found between SST and temperature. The latter correlation depends on latitude and season. Lag correlation coefficients as high as 0.8‐0.9 were found for all seasons. In most cases the correlation between SO and temperature is opposite in sign to that existing between SST and temperature.