scholarly journals Mechanisms for Global Warming Impacts on Precipitation Frequency and Intensity

2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 3291-3306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chia Chou ◽  
Chao-An Chen ◽  
Pei-Hua Tan ◽  
Kuan Ting Chen
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Water Vapor ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Vertical Motion ◽  
Heavy Precipitation ◽  
Precipitation Frequency ◽  
Dynamic Component ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
Climate Model Simulations ◽  
Dynamic Components

Global warming mechanisms that cause changes in frequency and intensity of precipitation in the tropics are examined in climate model simulations. Under global warming, tropical precipitation tends to be more frequent and intense for heavy precipitation but becomes less frequent and weaker for light precipitation. Changes in precipitation frequency and intensity are both controlled by thermodynamic and dynamic components. The thermodynamic component is induced by changes in atmospheric water vapor, while the dynamic component is associated with changes in vertical motion. A set of equations is derived to estimate both thermodynamic and dynamic contributions to changes in frequency and intensity of precipitation, especially for heavy precipitation. In the thermodynamic contribution, increased water vapor reduces the magnitude of the required vertical motion to generate the same strength of precipitation, so precipitation frequency increases. Increased water vapor also intensifies precipitation due to the enhancement of water vapor availability in the atmosphere. In the dynamic contribution, the more stable atmosphere tends to reduce the frequency and intensity of precipitation, except for the heaviest precipitation. The dynamic component strengthens the heaviest precipitation in most climate model simulations, possibly due to a positive convective feedback.

scholarly journals Mechanisms of Global Warming Impacts on Robustness of Tropical Precipitation Asymmetry

2008 ◽  
Vol 21 (21) ◽  
pp. 5585-5602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pei-Hua Tan ◽  
Chia Chou ◽  
Jien-Yi Tu
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Water Vapor ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Hadley Circulation ◽  
The Other ◽  
Multimodel Ensemble ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
Tropical Precipitation ◽  
Precipitation Anomalies ◽  
Climate Model Simulations

Abstract Hemispherically and temporally asymmetric tropical precipitation responses to global warming are evaluated in 13 different coupled atmosphere–ocean climate model simulations. In the late boreal summer, hemispherical averages of the tropical precipitation anomalies from the multimodel ensemble show a strong positive trend in the Northern Hemisphere and a weak negative trend in the Southern Hemisphere. In the late austral summer, on the other hand, the trends are reversed. This implies that the summer hemisphere becomes wetter and the winter hemisphere becomes a little drier in the tropics. Thus, the seasonal range of tropical precipitation, differences between wet and dry seasons, is increased. Zonal averages of the precipitation anomalies from the multimodel ensemble also reveal a meridional movement, which basically follows the seasonal migration of the main convection zone. Similar asymmetric features can be found in all 13 climate model simulations used in this study. Based on the moisture budget analysis, the vertical moisture advection associated with mean circulation is the main contribution for the robustness of the asymmetric distribution of the tropical precipitation anomalies. Under global warming, tropospheric water vapor increases as the temperature rises and most enhanced water vapor is in the lower troposphere. The ascending motion of the Hadley circulation then transports more water vapor upward, that is, anomalous moisture convergence, and enhances precipitation over the main convection zones. On the other hand, the thermodynamic effect associated with the descending motion of the Hadley circulation, that is, anomalous moisture divergence, reduces the precipitation over the descending regions.

Evolution of Water Vapor Concentrations and Stratospheric Age of Air in Coupled Chemistry-Climate Model Simulations

2007 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 905-921 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Austin ◽  
John Wilson ◽  
Feng Li ◽  
Holger Vömel
Keyword(s):  
Water Vapor ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Time Slice ◽  
Sea Surface Temperatures ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
Stratospheric Water Vapor ◽  
Surface Temperatures ◽  
Climate Model Simulations

Abstract Stratospheric water vapor concentrations and age of air are investigated in an ensemble of coupled chemistry-climate model simulations covering the period from 1960 to 2005. Observed greenhouse gas concentrations, halogen concentrations, aerosol amounts, and sea surface temperatures are all specified in the model as time-varying fields. The results are compared with two experiments (time-slice runs) with constant forcings for the years 1960 and 2000, in which the sea surface temperatures are set to the same climatological values, aerosol concentrations are fixed at background levels, while greenhouse gas and halogen concentrations are set to the values for the relevant years. The time-slice runs indicate an increase in stratospheric water vapor from 1960 to 2000 due primarily to methane oxidation. The age of air is found to be significantly less in the year 2000 run than the 1960 run. The transient runs from 1960 to 2005 indicate broadly similar results: an increase in water vapor and a decrease in age of air. However, the results do not change gradually. The age of air decreases significantly only after about 1975, corresponding to the period of ozone reduction. The age of air is related to tropical upwelling, which determines the transport of methane into the stratosphere. Oxidation of increased methane from enhanced tropical upwelling results in higher water vapor amounts. In the model simulations, the rate of increase of stratospheric water vapor during the period of enhanced upwelling is up to twice the long-term mean. The concentration of stratospheric water vapor also increases following volcanic eruptions during the simulations.

scholarly journals Weather extremes over Europe under 1.5 and 2.0 °C global warming from HAPPI regional climate ensemble simulations

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 457-468
Author(s):  
Kevin Sieck ◽  
Christine Nam ◽  
Laurens M. Bouwer ◽  
Diana Rechid ◽  
Daniela Jacob
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Regional Climate Model ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Apparent Temperature ◽  
Climate Indices ◽  
Weather Extremes ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
Climate Model Simulations

Abstract. This paper presents a novel dataset of regional climate model simulations over Europe that significantly improves our ability to detect changes in weather extremes under low and moderate levels of global warming. This is a unique and physically consistent dataset, as it is derived from a large ensemble of regional climate model simulations. These simulations were driven by two global climate models from the international HAPPI consortium. The set consists of 100×10-year simulations and 25×10-year simulations, respectively. These large ensembles allow for regional climate change and weather extremes to be investigated with an improved signal-to-noise ratio compared to previous climate simulations. To demonstrate how adaptation-relevant information can be derived from the HAPPI dataset, changes in four climate indices for periods with 1.5 and 2.0 ∘C global warming are quantified. These indices include number of days per year with daily mean near-surface apparent temperature of >28 ∘C (ATG28); the yearly maximum 5-day sum of precipitation (RX5day); the daily precipitation intensity of the 50-year return period (RI50yr); and the annual consecutive dry days (CDDs). This work shows that even for a small signal in projected global mean temperature, changes of extreme temperature and precipitation indices can be robustly estimated. For temperature-related indices changes in percentiles can also be estimated with high confidence. Such data can form the basis for tailor-made climate information that can aid adaptive measures at policy-relevant scales, indicating potential impacts at low levels of global warming at steps of 0.5 ∘C.

scholarly journals Thermodynamic Causes for Future Trends in Heavy Precipitation over Europe Based on an Ensemble of Regional Climate Model Simulations

2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (21) ◽  
pp. 7669-7689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Radermacher ◽  
Lorenzo Tomassini
Keyword(s):  
Regional Climate Model ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Precipitable Water ◽  
Heavy Precipitation ◽  
Extreme Value ◽  
Extreme Value Analysis ◽  
Thermodynamic Quantities ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
Climate Model Simulations

An extreme-value analysis of projected changes in heavy precipitation is carried out for an ensemble of eight high-resolution regional climate model simulations over the European domain. The consideration of several regional climate models that are forced by different global models allows for an assessment of the robustness of the results in terms of intersimulation agreement. The extreme-value statistical method is based on a model that includes time-dependent parameters. Summer and winter are examined separately. This allows for identifying and sharpening the understanding of physical processes inducing the changes in precipitation characteristics. Thermodynamic aspects of changes in heavy precipitation are discussed. Variables that are related to the process of precipitation formation, such as precipitable water and cloud liquid water, are examined. In this context, the scaling of changes in heavy precipitation and other thermodynamic quantities with changes in temperature is explored. The validity of a Clausius–Clapeyron scaling of heavy precipitation is assessed on regional scales. Significant regional and seasonal differences in trends of heavy precipitation and only a limited validity of the Clausius–Clapeyron scaling are found. In winter, enhanced moisture transport and storm-track intensity lead to an increase in heavy precipitation, especially over the northern parts of the European continent. In summer, the increase of precipitable water is less than that required to maintain the same probability for saturation over southern Europe, which results in negative trends of heavy precipitation in these regions.

scholarly journals Diagnosing ENSO and Global Warming Tropical Precipitation Shifts Using Surface Relative Humidity and Temperature

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 1413-1433 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Todd ◽  
Matthew Collins ◽  
F. Hugo Lambert ◽  
Robin Chadwick
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Precipitation Change ◽  
Method Performance ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
Tropical Precipitation ◽  
Climate Model Simulations ◽  
Precipitation Changes

Large uncertainty remains in future projections of tropical precipitation change under global warming. A simplified method for diagnosing tropical precipitation change is tested here on present-day El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) precipitation shifts. This method, based on the weak temperature gradient approximation, assumes precipitation is associated with local surface relative humidity (RH) and surface air temperature (SAT), relative to the tropical mean. Observed and simulated changes in RH and SAT are subsequently used to diagnose changes in precipitation. Present-day ENSO precipitation shifts are successfully diagnosed using observations (correlation r = 0.69) and an ensemble of atmosphere-only (0.51 ≤ r ≤ 0.8) and coupled (0.5 ≤ r ≤ 0.87) climate model simulations. RH ( r = 0.56) is much more influential than SAT ( r = 0.27) in determining ENSO precipitation shifts for observations and climate model simulations over both land and ocean. Using intermodel differences, a significant relationship is demonstrated between method performance over ocean for present-day ENSO and projected global warming ( r = 0.68). As a caveat, the authors note that mechanisms leading to ENSO-related precipitation changes are not a direct analog for global warming–related precipitation changes. The diagnosis method presented here demonstrates plausible mechanisms that relate changes in precipitation, RH, and SAT under different climate perturbations. Therefore, uncertainty in future tropical precipitation changes may be linked with uncertainty in future RH and SAT changes.

scholarly journals Interannual Variations of Stratospheric Water Vapor in MLS Observations and Climate Model Simulations

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (11) ◽  
pp. 4072-4085 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshio Kawatani ◽  
Jae N. Lee ◽  
Kevin Hamilton
Keyword(s):  
Water Vapor ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Coupled Model ◽  
Vertical Gradient ◽  
Quasi Biennial Oscillation ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
Stratospheric Water Vapor ◽  
Budget Analysis ◽  
Climate Model Simulations ◽  
Interannual Fluctuations

Abstract By analyzing the almost-decade-long record of water vapor measurements from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument on the NASA Aura satellite and by detailed diagnostic analysis of the results from state-of-the art climate model simulations, this study confirmed the conceptual picture of the interannual variation in equatorial stratospheric water vapor discussed in earlier papers (e.g., Geller et al.). The interannual anomalies in water vapor are strongly related to the dynamical quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO), and this study presents the first QBO composite of the time–height structure of the equatorial water vapor anomalies. The anomalies display upward propagation below about 10 hPa in a manner analogous to the annual “tape recorder” effect, but at higher levels they show clear downward propagation. This study examined these variations in the Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate (MIROC)-AGCM and in four models in phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) that simulate realistic QBOs. Diagnostic budget analysis of the MIROC-AGCM data and comparisons among the CMIP5 model results demonstrate (i) the importance of temperature anomalies at the tropopause induced by the QBO for lower-stratospheric water vapor variations and (ii) that upper-stratospheric water vapor anomalies are largely driven by advection of the mean vertical gradient of water content by the QBO interannual fluctuations in the vertical wind.

scholarly journals Global Warming and Western North Pacific Typhoon Activity from an Observational Perspective

2004 ◽  
Vol 17 (23) ◽  
pp. 4590-4602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johnny C. L. Chan ◽  
Kin Sik Liu
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
El Niño ◽  
North Pacific ◽  
Western North Pacific ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Interannual Variations ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
Climate Model Simulations

Abstract Based on results from climate model simulations, many researchers have suggested that because of global warming, the sea surface temperature (SST) will likely increase, which will then lead to an increase in the intensity of tropical cyclones (TCs). This paper reports results of a study of the relationship between SST and observed typhoon activity (which is used as a proxy for the intensity of TCs averaged over a season) over the western North Pacific (WNP) for the past 40 yr. The average typhoon activity over a season is found to have no significant relationship with SST in the WNP but increases when the SST over the equatorial eastern Pacific Ocean is above normal. The mean annual typhoon activity is generally higher (lower) during an El Niño (La Niña) year. Such interannual variations of typhoon activity appear to be largely constrained by the large-scale atmospheric factors that are closely related to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon. These large-scale dynamic and thermodynamic factors include low-level relative vorticity, vertical wind shear, and moist static energy. Such results are shown to be physically consistent with one another and with those from previous studies on the interannual variations of TC activity. The results emphasize the danger of drawing conclusions about future TC intensity based on current climate model simulations that are not designed to make such predictions.

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