Latitudinal Variation of the Lifetime Maximum Intensity Location of Atlantic Tropical Cyclones Controlled by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation

The latitude of lifetime maximum intensity (LMI) location (ϕ_LMI) of Atlantic tropical cyclones (TCs) is related to the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) with a significant negative correlation for 1948–2018. We objectively classify TC tracks into four patterns, to evaluate the effects of variations in dominant track patterns (track ϕ_LMI) and intra-pattern ϕ_LMI (pure ϕ_LMI) on the total ϕ_LMI variation. During the warm phases of AMO, the prevailed south-origin track patterns and equatorward pure ϕ_LMI shifts have almost equally contributed to the equatorward migration of the total ϕ_LMI. The negative anomaly of potential intensity in the subtropics is responsible for the equatorward shift of pure ϕ_LMI. Moreover, weak vertical wind shear in the tropics increases the south-origin track patterns. These environmental conditions are associated with the east-strong and west-weak relative sea surface temperature warming during the warm phases that causes anomalous upward and downward motions in the eastern and western Atlantic, respectively.