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How the Atlantic jet stream has changed in 600 years — and what it means for weather

A multi-century climate record suggests that current Atlantic jet-stream variations are not the cause of an increase in extreme weather events.
By
  1. Matthew P. Dannenberg

    1. Matthew P. Dannenberg is in the Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA.

  2. Erika K. Wise

    1. Erika K. Wise is in the Department of Geography and Environment, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA.

Jet streams are fast-moving ribbons of air that travel from west to east around the Earth (Fig. 1), usually in wave-like patterns, roughly 5–10 kilometres above sea level1. They are key modifiers of climate and of weather extremes at mid-latitudes. Across Europe, changes in the strength, location and ‘waviness’ of the subpolar Atlantic jet stream can alter near-surface air temperature and precipitation2,3. As global climate warms, the subpolar Atlantic jet stream will probably shift northwards and become even wavier4,5, which could alter both the average climate and the frequency, intensity and persistence of extreme events in Europe — including droughts, floods and heatwaves.

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Nature 640, 39-40 (2025)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-00871-0

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Competing Interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

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