Which regions are most vulnerable to blocking highs

Regions most vulnerable to blocking highs are typically found in the Northern Hemisphere, especially at the ends of storm tracks and near large landmasses or ocean basins. The highest frequency and impact occur across the following areas:wikipedia+2

Major Vulnerable Regions

• Europe and Scandinavia: These areas, reaching from Western to Eastern Europe and up through Scandinavia, experience frequent blocking events that can cause intense heatwaves, cold spells, droughts, and air quality issues.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih+1

• Greenland and North Atlantic: Blocking highs over Greenland and the North Atlantic can dramatically affect weather downstream, with impacts across Europe and the eastern United States.wcd.copernicus+1

• Ural Mountains (Northern Asia): The Ural region is another hotspot for blocking, especially impacting temperature extremes and persistent weather anomalies.wcd.copernicus

• Western North America (British Columbia, Alaska, Yukon): The Gulf of Alaska and western Canada/US often experience blocking highs that can lead to prolonged dry spells and heat.weather.missouri+1

• Northwest and Central Asia: Areas of northern Asia, especially near 90°E longitude, also face frequent blocks with resultant weather impacts.weather.missouri

Additional Vulnerable Regions

• Eastern Pacific (near Alaska and West Coast US): Springtime blocking over the eastern Pacific disrupts rain patterns and promotes persistent weather.wikipedia+1

• Australia (Tasman Sea, Great Australian Bight): Blocking highs here create extensive drought or heavy rain, depending on their exact position.wikipedia

• Beijing–Hebei–Tianjin region (China): High population density amplifies vulnerability to persistent heat, drought, or pollution events due to blocking highs.nature

Impacts and Vulnerabilities

• Blocking highs most often cause extreme weather: heatwaves in summer, cold spells in winter, drought beneath the block, and intense rainfall along its edges.sciencedirect+1

• Air quality can deteriorate beneath persistent highs due to stagnant air and pollution build-up, especially in urbanized regions.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih

• Agriculture, water supply, and public health face higher risks when blocking highs persist over vulnerable areas.wcd.copernicus

In summary, Europe, the North Atlantic, western North America, northern Asia, and parts of Australia are globally recognized as the regions most exposed to the disruptive effects of blocking highs.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih+3

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Block_(meteorology)
2. https://wcd.copernicus.org/articles/3/305/2022/
3. https://weather.missouri.edu/gcc/Lupo-blockreview.pdf
4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6428232/
5. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-37554-1
6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/atmospheric-blocking
7. https://www.climatesignals.org/climate-signals/atmospheric-blocking-increase
8. https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2024GL111035
9. https://wmo.int/media/july-sees-extreme-weather-high-impacts