The direct climate effect of aerosols has been studied within a regional atmospheric model of the Arctic. The mean springtime effect on the near surface temperature has been estimated and showed to be within ±1 K. However, the aerosol effect varies strongly regionally depending on the surface albedo, atmospheric humidity, and cloud condition of the region. The interannual variability of the aerosol effect is very pronounced (for the near surface temperature in the order of 2 K) and is connected with the strong varying year-specific atmospheric conditions. Due to the high horizontal resolution of the model, it was possible to assess the influence both on the large-scale as well as on the meso-scale atmospheric circulation. Through the aerosol-radiation-circulation feedback, the scattering and absorption of radiation by aerosol cause pressure pattern changes which have the potential to modify Arctic teleconnection patterns like the Barents Sea Oscillation. Copyright 2004 by the American Geophysical Union.