  Some initial investigations into various atmospheric phenomena and the
influence of the solar cycle on weather have been made. Strongly negative North
Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) indices, which cause cold and dry winter weather in
North West Europe, rarely occur during periods of high solar activity. Coupling
between the troposphere and stratosphere is discussed, particularly in the
context of Polar-night jet oscillation events (defined by Hitchcock et al.,
2013) and the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation. The energy of North Atlantic
hurricanes (as indicated by the Accumulated Cyclone Energy Index, ACE) is also
linked to solar activity, via UV heating at the tropopause (Elsner et al.,
2010), and is suggested as a possible mechanism through which solar activity
could influence the NAO. Finally the lack of solar influence on the NAO before
$\sim$ 1950 is addressed, with a possible cause being the smaller solar cycle
amplitudes. This short report contains several ideas, which may be worth
pursuing further.

Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics