The connection between the Arctic Oscillation and the stratosphere is investigated on intra-annual timescales. Both the National Centers for Environmental Prediction reanalysis data and a general circulation model simulation are used. In the winter half year November-April the dominant variability in the stratosphere in middle and high latitudes has the form of downward propagation of zonal mean zonal wind anomalies. The strength of the anomalies decays below 10 hPa, but often the anomalies reach the surface. The time for the propagation from 10 hPa to the surface is ~15 days. When positive anomalies reach the surface, the phase of the Arctic Oscillation tends to be positive. The stratospheric variability and the downward propagation is found to be driven by the vertical component of the Eliassen-Palm flux. This flux propagates from the lower troposphere to the tropopause on a time scale of 5 days. Model and reanalysis compare well in the structure of the stratospheric variability and the connection between the stratosphere and troposphere. However, the strength of the stratospheric variability is ~25% weaker in the model. ¿ 2001 American Geophysical Union