Föhn winds on South Georgia and their impacts on regional climate

Average summer temperatures over South Georgia have risen by 1°C along with an increase in the rate of glacial retreat since the 1920s. Glaciers on the northeast of the island are retreating faster than those on the southwest side. These asymmetrical changes are thought to be linked with the föhn effect. To explore the link between föhn and the climate of South Georgia, we show results from a climatological analysis using Automatic Weather Station observations and high-resolution simulations of föhn events with the Weather Research and Forecasting model. We find that föhn events significantly contribute to the asymmetry of South Georgia's regional climate.