Impacts of Antarctic ice mass loss on New Zealand climate

We investigate the impacts of meltwater from Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) mass loss on New Zealand climate in a global climate model. We conduct simulations with additional melt water from AIS mass loss for both the historical period and a high-emissions future scenario. The ocean surface to the southeast of New Zealand cools, with the largest change in winter and spring. The additional meltwater results in a northward shift of the oceanic sub-tropical front near New Zealand, which partially offsets the projected southward shift in a warming climate. Wintertime surface westerly winds to the south of New Zealand also increase with the addition of the meltwater. The magnitude of the impact of Antarctic meltwater is uncertain due to the wide spread in estimates of Antarctic mass imbalance, but has important implications for future projections for New Zealand climate.

This article has been submitted for publication in Geophysical Research Letters in June 2024.