The observational facts show that over a wide range of time and space there exist in the atmosphere a variety of catastrophic phenomena. In this paper, the northward jumping of subtropical highs—a catastrophic phenomenon in the atmosphere—is diseussed on the basis of the catastrophe theory initiated by René Thom as well as the cusp catastrophe model; the mechanism of the gradual change of the controlling parameters leading to the abrupt change of the phenomenon is investigated and thus the well-known phenomenon of the “June catastrophe” of the atmospheric circulation interpreted.Also, it is pointed out, as sometimes immediately conditioned by the change of the geopotential values on the isobaric surface, planetary scale subtropical highs are not necessarily moving and developing as “realistic systems”. The observational facts show that over a wide range of time and space there exist in the atmosphere a variety of catastrophic phenomena. In this paper, the northward jumping of subtropical highs-a catastrophic phenomenon in the atmosphere-is diseussed on the basis of the catastrophe theory initiated by René Thom as well as the cusp catastrophe model; the mechanism of the gradual change of the controlling parameters leading to the abrupt change of the phenomenon is investigated and thus the well-known phenomenon of the “June catastrophe” of the it is pointed out, as is immediately conditioned by the change of the geopotential values ​​on the isobaric surface, planetary scale subtropical highs are not necessarily moving and developing as “realistic systems.”