scholarly journals Impacts of Projected Urban Expansion on Rainfall and Temperature during Rainy Season in the Middle-Eastern Region in Tanzania

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1234
Author(s):  
Doreen M. Anande ◽  
Moon-Soo Park
Keyword(s):  
City Planning ◽  
Urban Expansion ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Wrf Model ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Eastern Region ◽  
Local Circulation ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Air Temperatures

Future changes of land use and land cover (LULC) due to urbanization can cause variations in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, affecting local climate and potentially worsening impact of such events. This work examines the local climatic impacts associated with projected urban expansion through simulations of rainfall and temperature over the rapidly growing city of the middle-eastern region in Tanzania. Simulations were conducted using a mesoscale Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for a period of 10 days during the rainfall season in April 2018. The Global Forecasting System data of 0.25° resolution was used to simulate the WRF model in two-way nested domains at resolutions of 12 km and 4 km correspondingly. Urban and built-up areas under the current state, low urbanization (30%), and high urbanization (99%) scenarios were taken into account as LULC categories. As the urbanized area increased, daily mean, maximum and minimum air temperatures, as well as precipitation increased. Local circulation affected the spatial irregularities of air temperature and precipitation. Results imply that urbanization can amplify the impacts of future climate changes dramatically. These results can be applicable to the city planning to minimize the adverse effect of urbanization on temperature and precipitation.

The different mechanisms of extreme snowfall in the eastern and southern Tibetan Plateau.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan Yao ◽  
Lian Liu ◽  
Yaoming Ma
Keyword(s):  
Water Vapor ◽  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Snow Water Equivalent ◽  
Wrf Model ◽  
Eastern Region ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Local Circulation ◽  
China Meteorological Administration ◽  
Dynamic Conditions

<p>Snowfall is a key component of the hydrological system of the Tibetan Plateau (TP), and it is also a very sensitive factor to climate change. To understand the mechanism of extreme snowfall in different regions of the TP, we used the 50-year snow depth data from the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) ground observations and the ERA5 reanalysis datasets of European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Results show the threshold of extreme snow in the southern TP is four times greater than that in the eastern region. Sixteen numerical experiments using the weather research and forecasting (WRF) model were conducted to quantify the contribution of water vapor and dynamic conditions to snowfall events. Here are the preliminary results: (1) For the snowfall event caused by local circulation in the eastern TP, the contribution of dynamic conditions is greater than that of moisture conditions. An increase of 10% in the wind field (water vapor) will enhance the snow water equivalent (SWE) by more than 25% (10%). (2) For large-scale circulation, q has a greater effect. But the overall increase in snowfall is smaller than the local circulation. (3) The severe snowfall frequently takes place in the southern TP, where water vapor channel and topographic uplift are significant factors to snowfall. we think the southern simulation will produce interesting results. Our results will provide scientific reference in improving the snowstorm forecasting and disaster prevention and mitigation.</p>

scholarly journals The influence of local climate change on the productivity of spring cereals in the Kirov region

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 244-253
Author(s):  
I. V. Lyskova ◽  
O. E. Sukhoveeva ◽  
T. V. Lyskova
Keyword(s):  
Air Temperature ◽  
Spring Wheat ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Eastern Region ◽  
Positive Trend ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Spring Cereals

On the basis of long-term meteorological data and research results in a long-term stationary experiment of 1971-2020 a retrospective analysis of changes in air temperature and precipitation in the eastern region of the central climatic zone of the Kirov region was carried out and the influence of these characteristics on the dynamics of the yield of spring cereals was estimated. It has been established that the average annual air temperature during the research period was 2.4±1.0 °C. At the same time, its stable positive trend was observed at the rate of 0.39 °С /10 years. Two decades from 2001 to 2020 were recorded as the warmest for 50 years, when the temperature was 0.7...2.6 °C above climate normal. Selyaninov hydrothermal coefficient (0.7...2.1) testifies to the contrasting conditions of humidification of the vegetation periods during the research years – from drought to excessively humidified. In a long-term experiment, the yield of spring cereals increased in the row wheat – barley – oats: 2.17±0.86, 3.04±0.61, 3.39±0.65 t/ha, respectively. Strong correlations were marked between the average yield (spring wheat) and weather conditions in June: reverse with air temperature (rр = -0.735) and direct with the amount of precipitation (rр = 0.686). It has been established that the use of phosphorus fertilizers (and their aftereffect) in combination with nitrogen-potassium fertilizers weakened the influence of weather conditions on the productivity of spring wheat: the determination coefficients (R2), which reflect the portion of variability due to weather conditions, were 0.59-0.73 for the variant without fertilizers and decreased to 0.50-0.56 when applying NP3K.

scholarly journals Spatial variations of local climate at Taylor Dome, Antarctica: implications for paleoclimate from ice cores

1994 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 219-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.D. Waddington ◽  
D.L. Morse
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Variability ◽  
Source Region ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Ice Cores ◽  
Temperature Inversion ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
Air Masses ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
Inversion Strength

10m firn temperatures are commonly used on the Antarctic plateau to estimate mean annual air temperatures. 10m firn temperatures measured at Taylor Dome (also referred to as McMurdo Dome in the literature), Antarctica, are influenced by a factor other than altitude and latitude that varies systematically across Taylor Dome. Some inter-related factors possibly contributing to the modern temperature variability are differences in sensible heat from warm or cold air masses, differences in wind strength and source region, differences in temperature inversion strength and differences in cloudiness. Our preliminary data are compatible with spatially variable katabatic winds that could control the winter temperature inversion strength to provide a large part of the signal. This has implications for paleoclimate studies.(1) Variations of the stable isotopes δ18O and δD from ice cores are a proxy for paleotemperature. The isotope thermometer is calibrated by comparing local isotope ratios with corresponding measured temperatures. In order to derive a useful isotope-temperature calibration, we must understand the processes that control the modern spatial variability of temperature. (2) In order to quantify past changes in local climate, we must understand processes that influence local spatial variability. If those processes differed in the past, ice-core climate reconstruction would be affected in two ways: through alteration of the geochemical record and through alteration of deep ice and firn temperatures.

scholarly journals Heatwaves and Summer Urban Heat Islands: A Daily Cycle Approach to Unveil the Urban Thermal Signal Changes in Lisbon, Portugal

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Oliveira ◽  
António Lopes ◽  
Ezequiel Correia ◽  
Samuel Niza ◽  
Amílcar Soares
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Wind Direction ◽  
Urban Heat Islands ◽  
Daily Cycle ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
Thermal Signal ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
Local Climate Change ◽  
Urban Heat

Lisbon is a European Mediterranean city, greatly exposed to heatwaves (HW), according to recent trends and climate change prospects. Considering the Atlantic influence, air temperature observations from Lisbon’s mesoscale network are used to investigate the interactions between background weather and the urban thermal signal (UTS) in summer. Days are classified according to the prevailing regional wind direction, and hourly UTS is compared between HW and non-HW conditions. Northern-wind days predominate, revealing greater maximum air temperatures (up to 40 °C) and greater thermal amplitudes (approximately 10 °C), and account for 37 out of 49 HW days; southern-wind days have milder temperatures, and no HWs occur. Results show that the wind direction groups are significantly different. While southern-wind days have minor UTS variations, northern-wind days have a consistent UTS daily cycle: a diurnal urban cooling island (UCI) (often lower than –1.0 °C), a late afternoon peak urban heat island (UHI) (occasionally surpassing 4.0 °C), and a stable nocturnal UHI (1.5 °C median intensity). UHI/UCI intensities are not significantly different between HW and non-HW conditions, although the synoptic influence is noted. Results indicate that, in Lisbon, the UHI intensity does not increase during HW events, although it is significantly affected by wind. As such, local climate change adaptation strategies must be based on scenarios that account for the synergies between potential changes in regional air temperature and wind.

scholarly journals “Snow Scenes”: Exploring the Role of Memory and Place in Commemorating Extreme Winters

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Hall ◽  
Georgina Endfield
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Potential Effect ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
National Narratives ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
Weather Events

Abstract Scholars are increasingly focusing on the cultural dimensions of climate, addressing how individuals construct their understanding of climate through local weather. Research often focuses on the importance of widespread conceptualizations of mundane everyday weather, although attention has also been paid to extreme weather events and their potential effect on popular understandings of local climate. This paper introduces the “Snow Scenes” project, which aimed to engage rural communities in Cumbria, England, with their memories of extreme and severe past winter conditions in the region. Collating memories across a wide demographic, using a variety of methods, individual memories were analyzed alongside meteorological and historical records. By exploring these memories and their associated artifacts, this paper aims to better understand the role of memory and place in commemorating extreme winters. First, it is demonstrated how national narratives of exceptional winters are used by individuals as benchmarks against which to gauge conditions. Second, this paper identifies how specific locations and landmarks help to place memories and are shown to be important anchors for individuals’ understanding of their climate. Third, the paper considers how memories of severe winters are often nostalgic in their outlook, with a strong association between snowy winters, childhood, and childhood places. Fourth, it is illustrated how such events are regularly connected to important personal or familial milestones. Finally, the paper reflects on how these local-level experiences of historical extreme events may be central to the shaping of popular understandings of climate and also, by extension, climate change.

scholarly journals New 30 m resolution Hong Kong climate, vegetation, and topography rasters indicate greater spatial variation than global grids within an urban mosaic

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 1083-1098 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brett Morgan ◽  
Benoit Guénard
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽  
City Planning ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
Spatial Understanding ◽  
Environmental And Ecological Studies ◽  
Relevant Variables

Abstract. The recent proliferation of high-quality global gridded environmental datasets has spurred a renaissance of studies in many fields, including biogeography. However, these data, often 1 km at the finest scale available, are too coarse for applications such as precise designation of conservation priority areas and regional species distribution modeling, or purposes outside of biology such as city planning and precision agriculture. Further, these global datasets likely underestimate local climate variations because they do not incorporate locally relevant variables. Here we describe a comprehensive set of 30 m resolution rasters for Hong Kong, a small tropical territory with highly variable terrain where intense anthropogenic disturbance meets a robust protected area system. The data include topographic variables, a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index raster, and interpolated climate variables based on weather station observations. We present validation statistics that convey each climate variable's reliability and compare our results to a widely used global dataset, finding that our models consistently reflect greater climatic variation. To our knowledge, this is the first set of published environmental rasters specific to Hong Kong. We hope this diverse suite of geographic data will facilitate future environmental and ecological studies in this region of the world, where a spatial understanding of rapid urbanization, introduced species pressure, and conservation efforts is critical. The dataset (Morgan and Guénard, 2018) is accessible at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.6791276.

scholarly journals Long-term temperature and precipitation trends at the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, Otto, North Carolina, USA

2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 890-901 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie H. Laseter ◽  
Chelcy R. Ford ◽  
James M. Vose ◽  
Lloyd W. Swift
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Forest Health ◽  
Monitoring Network ◽  
Drought Severity ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
Precipitation Record ◽  
Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory

Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, located in western North Carolina, USA, is a 2,185 ha basin wherein forest climate monitoring and watershed experimentation began in the early 1930s. An extensive climate and hydrologic network has facilitated research for over 75 years. Our objectives in this paper were to describe the monitoring network, present long-term air temperature and precipitation data, and analyze the temporal variation in the long-term temperature and precipitation record. We found that over the period of record: (1) air temperatures have been increasing significantly since the late 1970s, (2) drought severity and frequency have increased with time, and (3) the precipitation distribution has become more extreme over time. We discuss the implications of these trends within the context of regional and global climate change and forest health.

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