scholarly journals Regional Climate Model Projections and Uncertainties of U.S. Summer Heat Waves

2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (16) ◽  
pp. 4447-4458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth E. Kunkel ◽  
Xin-Zhong Liang ◽  
Jinhong Zhu
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Regional Climate Model ◽  
Heat Wave ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
General Circulation Models ◽  
Threshold Temperature ◽  
Wave Characteristics

Abstract Regional climate model (RCM) simulations, driven by low and high climate-sensitivity coupled general circulation models (CGCMs) under various future emissions scenarios, were compared to projected changes in heat wave characteristics. The RCM downscaling reduces the CGCM biases in heat wave threshold temperature by a factor of 2, suggesting a higher credibility in the future projections. All of the RCM simulations suggest that there is a high probability of heat waves of unprecedented severity by the end of the twenty-first century if a high emissions path is followed. In particular, the annual 3-day heat wave temperature increases generally by 3°–8°C; the number of heat wave days increases by 30–60 day yr−1 over much of the western and southern United States with slightly smaller increases elsewhere; the variance spectra for intermediate, 3–7 days (prolonged, 7–14 days), temperature extremes increase (decrease) in the central (western) United States. If a lower emissions path is followed, then the outcomes range from quite small changes to substantial increases. In all cases, the mean temperature climatological shift is the dominant change in heat wave characteristics, suggesting that adaptation and acclimatization could reduce effects.

scholarly journals Projection of Future Heat Waves in the United States. Part I: Selecting a Climate Model Subset

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 587
Author(s):  
Javad Shafiei Shiva ◽  
David G. Chandler
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Well Being ◽  
General Circulation Models ◽  
The United States ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
Impact Predictions

The widespread increase in global temperature is driving more frequent and more severe local heatwaves within the contiguous United States (CONUS). General circulation models (GCMs) show increasing, but spatially uneven trends in heatwave properties. However, the wide range of model outputs raises the question of the suitability of this method for indicating the future impacts of heatwaves on human health and well-being. This work examines the fitness of 32 models from CMIP5 and their ensemble median to predict a set of heatwave descriptors across the CONUS, by analyzing their capabilities in the simulation of historical heatwaves during 1950–2005. Then, we use a multi-criteria decision-making tool and rank the overall performance of each model for 10 locations with different climates. We found GCMs have different capabilities in the simulation of historical heatwave characteristics. In addition, we observed similar performances for GCMs over the areas with a partially similar climate. The ensemble model showed better performance in simulation of historical heatwave intensity in some locations, while other individual GCMs represented heatwave time-related components more similar to observations. These results are a step towards the use of contemporary weather models to guide heatwave impact predictions.

scholarly journals Analysis of projected changes in the occurrence of heat waves in Hungary

2013 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 115-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Pongrácz ◽  
J. Bartholy ◽  
E. B. Bartha
Keyword(s):  
Regional Climate Model ◽  
Heat Wave ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Emissions Scenarios ◽  
Projected Changes ◽  
Regional Climates

Abstract. Heat wave events are important temperature-related hazards due to their impacts on human health. In 2004, a Heat Health Warning System including three levels of heat wave warning was developed on the basis of a retrospective analysis of mortality and meteorological data in Hungary to anticipate heat waves that may result in a large excess of mortality. Projected changes in the frequency of different heat wave warning levels are analysed for the 21st century. For this purpose, outputs of regional climate model PRECIS (Providing REgional Climates for Impacts Studies) are used taking into account three different global emissions scenarios (A2, A1B, B2). The results clearly show an increase in occurrence and length of heat waves with respect to the underlying emissions scenarios and regional climate model used. Moreover, the potential season of heat wave occurrences is projected to be lengthened by two months in 2071–2100 compared to 1961–1990.

scholarly journals Precipitation Evolution over Belgium by 2100 and Sensitivity to Convective Schemes Using the Regional Climate Model MAR

Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sébastien Doutreloup ◽  
Christoph Kittel ◽  
Coraline Wyard ◽  
Alexandre Belleflamme ◽  
Charles Amory ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Regional Climate Model ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
General Circulation Models ◽  
Convective Precipitation ◽  
Current Climate ◽  
Stable Conditions ◽  
Projected Changes ◽  
Convective Scheme

The first aim of this study is to determine if changes in precipitation and more specifically in convective precipitation are projected in a warmer climate over Belgium. The second aim is to evaluate if these changes are dependent on the convective scheme used. For this purpose, the regional climate model Modèle Atmosphérique Régional (MAR) was forced by two general circulation models (NorESM1-M and MIROC5) with five convective schemes (namely: two versions of the Bechtold schemes, the Betts–Miller–Janjić scheme, the Kain–Fritsch scheme, and the modified Tiedtke scheme) in order to assess changes in future precipitation quantities/distributions and associated uncertainties. In a warmer climate (using RCP8.5), our model simulates a small increase of convective precipitation, but lower than the anomalies and the interannual variability over the current climate, since all MAR experiments simulate a stronger warming in the upper troposphere than in the lower atmospheric layers, favoring more stable conditions. No change is also projected in extreme precipitation nor in the ratio of convective precipitation. While MAR is more sensitive to the convective scheme when forced by GCMs than when forced by ERA-Interim over the current climate, projected changes from all MAR experiments compare well.

scholarly journals Panama’s Current Climate Replicability in a Non-Hydrostatic Regional Climate Model Nested in an Atmospheric General Circulation Model

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1543
Author(s):  
Reinhardt Pinzón ◽  
Noriko N. Ishizaki ◽  
Hidetaka Sasaki ◽  
Tosiyuki Nakaegawa
Keyword(s):  
Regional Climate Model ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Surface Air Temperature ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Current Climate

To simulate the current climate, a 20-year integration of a non-hydrostatic regional climate model (NHRCM) with grid spacing of 5 and 2 km (NHRCM05 and NHRCM02, respectively) was nested within the AGCM. The three models did a similarly good job of simulating surface air temperature, and the spatial horizontal resolution did not affect these statistics. NHRCM02 did a good job of reproducing seasonal variations in surface air temperature. NHRCM05 overestimated annual mean precipitation in the western part of Panama and eastern part of the Pacific Ocean. NHRCM05 is responsible for this overestimation because it is not seen in MRI-AGCM. NHRCM02 simulated annual mean precipitation better than NHRCM05, probably due to a convection-permitting model without a convection scheme, such as the Kain and Fritsch scheme. Therefore, the finer horizontal resolution of NHRCM02 did a better job of replicating the current climatological mean geographical distributions and seasonal changes of surface air temperature and precipitation.

scholarly journals CO2 Sensitivity of Extreme Climate Events in the Western United States

2006 ◽  
Vol 10 (15) ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason L. Bell ◽  
Lisa C. Sloan
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Extreme Events ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Western United States ◽  
Climate Extreme ◽  
Climate Model Simulations ◽  
Atmospheric Co2 Concentrations ◽  
High Elevations

Abstract Based upon trends in observed climate, extreme events are thought to be increasing in frequency and/or magnitude. This change in extreme events is attributed to enhancement of the hydrologic cycle caused by increased greenhouse gas concentrations. Results are presented of relatively long (50 yr) regional climate model simulations of the western United States examining the sensitivity of climate and extreme events to a doubling of preindustrial atmospheric CO2 concentrations. These results indicate a shift in the temperature distribution, resulting in fewer cold days and more hot days; the largest changes occur at high elevations. The rainfall distribution is also affected; total rain increases as a result of increases in rainfall during the spring season and at higher elevations. The risk of flooding is generally increased, as is the severity of droughts and heat waves. These results, combined with results of decreased snowpack and increased evaporation, could further stress the water supply of the western United States.

Hydrological Processes in Regional Climate Model Simulations of the Central United States Flood of June–July 1993

2003 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 584-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Anderson ◽  
Raymond W. Arritt ◽  
Zaitao Pan ◽  
Eugene S. Takle ◽  
William J. Gutowski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Regional Climate Model ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Hydrological Processes ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
Central United States ◽  
Climate Model Simulations ◽  
June July

scholarly journals An observation-constrained multi-physics WRF ensemble for simulating European mega heat waves

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 2285-2298 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. I. Stegehuis ◽  
R. Vautard ◽  
P. Ciais ◽  
A. J. Teuling ◽  
D. G. Miralles ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Wave ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Shortwave Radiation ◽  
Cold Bias ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Many climate models have difficulties in properly reproducing climate extremes, such as heat wave conditions. Here we use the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) regional climate model with a large combination of different atmospheric physics schemes, in combination with the NOAH land-surface scheme, with the goal of detecting the most sensitive physics and identifying those that appear most suitable for simulating the heat wave events of 2003 in western Europe and 2010 in Russia. In total, 55 out of 216 simulations combining different atmospheric physical schemes have a temperature bias smaller than 1 °C during the heat wave episodes, the majority of simulations showing a cold bias of on average 2–3 °C. Conversely, precipitation is mostly overestimated prior to heat waves, and shortwave radiation is slightly overestimated. Convection is found to be the most sensitive atmospheric physical process impacting simulated heat wave temperature across four different convection schemes in the simulation ensemble. Based on these comparisons, we design a reduced ensemble of five well performing and diverse scheme configurations, which may be used in the future to perform heat wave analysis and to investigate the impact of climate change during summer in Europe.

scholarly journals On the potential use of glacier and permafrost observations for verification of climate models

1997 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 400-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Beniston ◽  
Wilfried Haeberli ◽  
Martin Hoelzle ◽  
Alan Taylor
Keyword(s):  
General Circulation ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Regional Climate Models ◽  
General Circulation Models ◽  
Model Verification ◽  
Dominant Feature

While the capability of global and regional climate models in reproducing current climate has significantly improved over the past few years, the confidence in model results for remote regions, or those where complex orography is a dominant feature, is still relatively low. This is, in part, linked to the lack of observational data for model verification and intercomparison purposes.Glacier and permafrost observations are directly related to past and present energy flux patterns at the Earth-atmosphere interface and could be used as a proxy for air temperature and precipitation, particularly of value in remote mountain regions and boreal and Arctic zones where instrumental climate records are sparse or non-existent. It is particularly important to verify climate-model performance in these regions, as this is where most general circulation models (GCMs) predict the greatest changes in air temperatures in a warmer global climate.Existing datasets from glacier and permafrost monitoring sites in remote and high altitudes are described in this paper; the data could be used in model-verification studies, as a means to improving model performance in these regions.

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