CMIP5耦合模式对太平洋年代际振荡的模拟与预估

利用第五次耦合模式比较计划（CMIP5）40个模式的模拟资料和分类集合的方法,评估了耦合模式对20世纪太平洋年代际振荡（PDO）特征的模拟能力。结果表明,CMIP5多数模式对PDO周期有着较好的刻画能力,能模拟出PDO的年代际变化周期。模式对PDO模态空间特征的模拟能力存在较大差异,小部分模式模拟效果较差。进一步的分析表明,对PDO模态模拟较好的第1类模式,能较好地再现热带太平洋与北太平洋海表温度异常（SSTA）年代际变化间的关系,而且热带太平洋SSTA通过大气遥相关影响北太平样海表温度的过程也模拟的较成功。对PDO模态模拟差的模式,不能合理模拟出热带太平洋SSTA对北太平洋海表温度影响的遥相关过程。以上研究也证实了热带太平洋地区海表温度的年代际变率对北太平洋海表温度年代际变率的重要影响,热带太平洋SSTA对北太平洋SSTA的影响是通过大气遥相关实现的。利用CMIP5中等排放情景模拟结果,分析了第1类模式预估的北太平洋年代际变率的特征,发现21世纪北太平洋年代际变率的主要模态为一致的正异常分布且呈现明显的上升趋势,第二模态则表现为类似于20世纪典型PDO的马蹄型SSTA分布。     

CMIP5模式对西太平洋副热带高压的模拟和预估

利用国际耦合模式比较计划第五阶段（CMIP5）26个模式的模拟结果,从空间分布和振幅变化、年际周期及年代际趋势等方面,初步评估了CMIP5模式对西太平洋副热带高压（副高）的模拟能力。在此基础上,还对未来不同典型浓度路径（RCPs）情景下副高的可能变化给出了定性的预估。CMIP5模式历史试验结果显示,大多数模式对500 hPa位势高度气候平均值的模拟有明显误差,这主要是由于模式对热带印度洋和西太平洋地区海表温度（SST）的模拟普遍较观测值低,从而导致模式对副高的模拟能力有限。但大多数模式对高度场和纬向风场变化的空间形态与振幅都有较强的模拟能力。因此,通过用NCEP/NCAR再分析资料的气候平均值替代CMIP5模式气候平均值的简单方法,对CMIP5模拟结果进行了订正。经订正后的模式结果均有能力刻画副高指数的历史时间序列,且能够反映出20世纪70年代末期之后,副高面积增大、强度增强和显著西伸的变化趋势。此外,通过对副高指数的长期趋势、年际周期及标准差等的定量评估,注意到CNRM-CM5、FGOALS-g2、FIO-ESM、MIROC-ESM和MPI-ESM-P这5个模式对副高的模拟能力较强。未来气候预估试验中,副高面积和强度均增大,且显著西伸;其线性增长趋势在RCP8.5情景下最高,RCP4.5情景下次之,RCP2.6情景下最弱。有趣的是副高脊线指数在3种排放情景下都没有明显的长期变化趋势。这些结果为选取和利用CMIP5模式进行东亚地区气候变化的归因分析和未来预估提供了一定的科学依据。     

CMIP3及CMIP5模式对冬季和春季北极涛动变率模拟的比较

结合NCEP再分析资料,评估了28个参加第五次耦合模式比较计划（CMIP5）的耦合模式对1950-2000年冬、春季北极涛动（AO）变率的模拟能力,并与CMIP3模式模拟结果进行了对比。结果表明,尽管CMIP5模式没能模拟出冬、春季AO指数前30年处于显著的负位相期而后20年处于显著的正位相期的特征,但是基本能够模拟出冬、春季AO指数1950-2000年显著的增强趋势以及振荡周期,多模式集合改进了模拟效果。同样,CMIP3模式没能模拟出冬、春季AO指数前30年处于显著的负位相而后20年处于显著的正位相的特征,而且1950-2000年冬、春季AO指数的增强趋势在CMIP3模式模拟结果中也没有表现出来,多模式集合没有改进模式模拟效果。不仅如此,CMIP3模式对AO指数的长期变化周期模拟不好,只是模拟出了冬季周期为2～3 a的振荡,没有模拟出春季AO指数的4～5 a振荡周期。尽管CMIP5模式对冬、春季AO指数的模拟能力还不够理想,没有完全模拟出AO指数的变化特征,但是相对于CMIP3模式,无论是对AO指数变化趋势的模拟还是对其变化周期的模拟,CMIP5模式都有所提高。     

CMIP6全球气候模式对中国极端降水模拟能力的评估及其与CMIP5的比较

对CMIP6全球气候模式在中国地区极端降水的模拟能力进行了综合评估。基于CN05.1观测数据集和32个CMIP6全球气候模式的降水数据,采用8个常用极端降水指数对极端降水进行了定量描述。研究结果表明,在极端降水的气候平均态方面,CMIP6多模式集合对1961—2005年中国地区区域平均的8个极端降水指数模拟的平均相对误差为29.94%,相较CMIP5降低了2.95个百分点。极端降水的气候变率方面,CMIP6多模式集合对区域平均的8个极端降水指数模拟的平均相对误差为10.10%,相较CMIP5降低5.45个百分点。此外,利用TS评分进行模式间比较,CMIP6的平均分（0.78）高于CMIP5（0.75）,且模拟能力排名前五的模式中CMIP6占4个。对比14个同源模式的TS评分可以发现,CMIP6（0.91）相对于CMIP5（0.68）的模拟能力显著提高。进一步研究发现,CMIP6相对于CMIP5对不同区域极端降水模拟能力的改进有所区别:CMIP6对干旱区平均的气候态和变率方面改进明显,而对于湿润区的改进主要表现在对极端降水空间相关模拟能力的提高。综上,在中国地区,CMIP6相较于CMIP5对极端降水的模拟能力总体上有提升。      

7个IPCC AR4模式对中国地区极端降水指数模拟能力的评估及其未来情景预估

利用中国区域550个站点1961～2000年日降水量资料, 考察参与政府间气候变化委员会(IPCC)第四次评估报告的7个新一代全球模式及多模式集合对现代气候情景下(20C3M)5个极端降水指数的模拟能力, 同时进行中国区域未来不同排放情形下极端降水事件变化的预估, 结果表明: 最新全球模式能较好地模拟出极端降水指数气候场的空间分布及其中国区域的线性趋势, 且模式集合模拟能力优于大部分单个模式, 但在青藏高原东侧、 高原南部存在虚假的极端降水高值区, 模拟的东部季风区的极端降水强度系统性偏低, 区域平均序列年际变率的模拟能力也较低。中国地区21世纪与降水有关的事件都有趋于极端化的趋势, 极端降水强度可能增强, 干旱也将加重, 且变化幅度与排放强度成正比。     

CMIP5模式对中国东部夏季不同强度降水气候态和年代际变化的模拟能力评估

利用东亚地区逐日降水资料,评估了17个CMIP5气候模式对中国东部夏季不同强度降水的时空分布、不同强度降水对1970年代末中国东部夏季总降水量年代际转折的贡献的模拟能力。从夏季不同强度降水占总降水的比重来看,在中国东北和华北地区,小雨和中雨占主导;而在华南和江淮地区,大雨和暴雨则相对更为重要。CMIP5模式可大致模拟出中国东部小雨、大雨和暴雨占总降水比重的空间分布,但对中雨占比的空间分布模拟较差。总体说来,多数CMIP5模式高估了小雨和中雨的比重,但低估了大雨和暴雨的比重,从而导致大多数模式高估东北和华北的总降水量,而低估华南和江淮的总降水量。对1970年代末我国华北和江淮地区夏季降水量的年代际转折,观测资料表明该转折主要体现为大雨和暴雨雨量的年代际转折;仅有少数CMIP5模式能模拟出华北大雨和暴雨年代际减少的特征,使得这些模式对华北地区总降水的年代际变化也有较好的模拟能力。对于江淮区域,由于大雨和暴雨的比重被严重低估,尽管部分模式能模拟出夏季总降水量年代际增加的特征,但却多以小雨、中雨的年代际变化为主。多模式集合并不能显著提高模式对不同强度降水的空间分布的模拟能力,尤其是降水年代际变化的模拟能力。     

CMIP5全球气候模式对青藏高原地区气候模拟能力评估

青藏高原是气候变化的敏感和脆弱区,全球气候模式对于这一地区气候态的模拟能力如何尚不清楚。为此,本文使用国际耦合模式比较计划第五阶段（CMIP5）的历史模拟试验数据,评估了44 个全球气候模式对1986~2005 年青藏高原地区地表气温和降水两个基本气象要素的模拟能力。结果表明,CMIP5 模式低估了青藏高原地区年和季节平均地表气温,年均平均偏低2.3℃,秋季和冬季冷偏差相对更大;模式可较好地模拟年和季节平均地表气温分布型,但模拟的空间变率总体偏大;地形效应校正能够有效订正地表气温结果。CMIP5 模式对青藏高原地区降水模拟能力较差。尽管它们能够模拟出年均降水自西北向东南渐增的分布型,但模拟的年和季节降水量普遍偏大,年均降水平均偏多1.3 mm d-1,这主要是源于春季和夏季降水被高估。同时,模式模拟的年和季节降水空间变率也普遍大于观测值,尤其表现在春季和冬季。相比较而言,44 个模式集合平均性能总体上要优于大多数单个模式;等权重集合平均方案要优于中位数平均;对择优挑选的模式进行集合平均能够提高总体的模拟能力,其中对降水模拟的改进更为显著。     

CMIP5模式对中国年平均气温模拟及其与CMIP3模式的比较

利用CRUT3v和CN05两套观测资料,评估25个CMIP5模式对1906-2005年中国年平均气温变化的模拟能力,并与CMIP3模式对比。结果表明：1906-2005年中国平均温升速率为0.84℃/100a,CMIP5多模式集合平均模拟的增温率为0.77℃/100a。模式对20世纪后期温升模拟好于前期,仅有两个模式能模拟中国20世纪40年代异常增暖。模式对气温气候态空间分布模拟较好,但在中国西部地区存在最大模拟冷偏差和不确定性。1961-1999年,中国北方增暖大于南方。多模式集合平均可以较好地模拟气温变化线性趋势的空间分布,但对南北气温变化趋势的差异模拟过小。总体说来,在中国平均气温变化趋势、气温气候态空间分布和气温变化趋势空间分布三方面,CMIP5模式都较CMIP3模式有所提高。     

CMIP5全球气候模式对中国地区干旱变化模拟能力评估

利用东亚地区1961～2005年高分辨率（0．5°×0．5°）降水格点数据和参加CMIP5的42个全球气候模式数值模拟结果,通过对简单降水强度指数（降水距平百分率）的计算,对比分析了观测和多模式集合的中国地区干旱面积、干旱频率的时空分布以及干旱分布型的变化,评估了全球气候模式的模拟能力。结果表明：多个全球气候模式的集合结果对中国区域的干旱变化特征有一定的模拟能力,能较好地模拟出中国年平均干旱指数的时间变化趋势,但模拟的干旱强度偏弱;多模式集合模拟的严重干旱面积与观测值的变化趋势基本一致,与观测相比,模拟的长江以南干旱强度偏强,西北干旱强度偏弱;通过EOF的分析表明,多模式集合可以较好地模拟出西北与长江以南呈反位相及我国东部地区的“旱-涝-旱”或“涝-旱-涝”的分布型。     

CMIP5全球气候模式对中国黄河流域气候模拟能力的评估

利用格点化观测资料,对第5次耦合模式比较计划(Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5,CMIP5)提供的18个全球气候模式在黄河流域的模拟能力进行评估和客观选择。结果表明:基于1961—2005年黄河流域逐日的气温和降水观测资料,对黄河流域气候进行了模拟评估,通过对气候平均态、年际变率、季节循环、年际变化主要模态及概率密度函数等方面的模拟能力进行统计评价,分析得到所有模式模拟能力的综合评分排序,剔除较差的模式样本。最终选择的5个全球气候模式分别为MIROC-ESM-CHEM、CSIRO-Mk3-6-0、NorESM1-M、CNRM-CM5和EC-EARTH,5个全球气候模式综合评分较优,且基本可以覆盖18个CMIP5模式对黄河流域未来平均气温预估的不确定性分布,形成了可用于黄河流域气候变化研究的多模式集合系统。     

CMIP5模式对AMO与PDO模拟评估及未来预估

利用1880—2009年海表温度(Sea Surface Temperature, SST)观测资料以及耦合模式比较计划第五阶段(Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5,CMIP5)中4种情景(piControl、historical、RCP2.6、RCP4.5)下的模拟资料,通过资料对比,评估了CMIP5模式对两个最为重要年代际尺度模态——北大西洋年代际振荡(Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, AMO)和太平洋年代际振荡(Pacific Decadal Oscillation, PDO)的模拟性能,并分析了在不同增暖情景下,这两个海洋年代际模态的变化特征。结果表明:在historical和piControl情景下,多模式集合可以再现北太平洋、东太平洋和北大西洋海表温度的年代际变化中心,但模拟的AMO和PDO模态的振幅都偏弱,特别是PDO模态在东太平洋强度的再现能力较弱。与观测资料相比,在historical情景下对AMO和PDO时空特征模拟较好的模式有:CESM1-CAM5、FGOALS-g2、GISS-E2-H-CC、MIROC5和NorESM1-ME,多模式集合则有更好的模拟效果。在不同增暖情景下,AMO与PDO的空间特征基本一致且振幅差随增暖变化不明显,但是伴随全球增暖加强,两模态都呈现方差贡献减小的特征,尤其AMO模态。     

Sources of uncertainty in projections of twenty-first century westerly wind changes over the Amundsen Sea,West Antarctica,in CMIP5 climate models

The influence of changes in winds over the Amundsen Sea has been shown to be a potentially key mechanism in explaining rapid loss of ice from major glaciers in West Antarctica, which is having a significant impact on global sea level. Here, Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) climate model data are used to assess twenty-first century projections in westerly winds over the Amundsen Sea (U _AS ). The importance of model uncertainty and internal climate variability in RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenario projections are quantified and potential sources of model uncertainty are considered. For the decade 2090–2099 the CMIP5 models show an ensemble mean twenty-first century response in annual mean U _AS of 0.3 and 0.7 m s^?1 following the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios respectively. However, as a consequence of large internal climate variability over the Amundsen Sea, it takes until around 2030 (2065) for the RCP8.5 response to exceed one (two) standard deviation(s) of decadal internal variability. In all scenarios and seasons the model uncertainty is large. However the present-day climatological zonal wind bias over the whole South Pacific, which is important for tropical teleconnections, is strongly related to inter-model differences in projected change in U _AS (more skilful models show larger U _AS increases). This relationship is significant in winter (r = ?0.56) and spring (r = ?0.65), when the influence of the tropics on the Amundsen Sea region is known to be important. Horizontal grid spacing and present day sea ice extent are not significant sources of inter-model spread.     

Simulation and Projection of the Western Pacific Subtropical High in CMIP5 Models

This work examined the performance of 26 coupled climate models participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 （CMIP5） in the simulation of the present-day temporal variability and spatial pattern of the western Pacifi c subtropical high （WPSH）. The results show that most models are able to capture the spatial distribution and variability of the 500-hPa geopotential height and zonal wind fi elds in the western subtropical Pacifi c, but with underestimated mean intensity of the WPSH. The underestimation may be associated with the cold bias of sea surface temperature in the tropical Indian and western Pacifi c oceans in the models. To eliminate the impact of the climatology biases, the climatology of these models is replaced by that of the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis in the verifi cation, and the models reproduce the WPSH’s enhancement and westward extension after the late 1970s. According to assessment of the simulated WPSH indices, it is found that some models （CNRM-CM5, FGOALS-g2, FIO-ESM, MIROC-ESM, and MPI-ESM-P） are better than others in simulating WPSH. Then, the ensemble mean of these better models is used to pro ject the future changes of WPSH under three representative concentration pathway scenarios （RCP8.5, RCP4.5, and RCP2.6）. The WPSH enlarges, strengthens, and extends westward under all the scenarios, with the largest linear growth trend projected in RCP8.5, smallest in RCP2.6, and in between in RCP4.5;while the ridge line of WPSH shows no obvious long-term trend. These results may have implications for the attribution and prediction of climate variations and changes in East Asia.     

CMIP5 simulated change in the intensity of the Hadley and Walker circulations from the perspective of velocity potential

Based on the simulations of 31 global models in CMIP5, the performance of the models in simulating the Hadley and Walker circulations is evaluated. In addition, their change in intensity by the end of the 21 st century(2080–2099) under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, relative to 1986–2005, is analyzed from the perspective of 200 h Pa velocity potential.Validation shows good performance of the individual CMIP5 models and the multi-model ensemble mean(MME) in reproducing the meridional(zonal) structure and magnitude of Hadley(Walker) circulation. The MME can also capture the observed strengthening tendency of the winter Hadley circulation and weakening tendency of the Walker circulation. Such secular trends can be simulated by 39% and 74% of the models, respectively. The MME projection indicates that the winter Hadley circulation and the Walker circulation will weaken under both scenarios by the end of the 21 st century. The weakening amplitude is larger under RCP8.5 than RCP4.5, due to stronger external forcing. The majority of the CMIP5 models show the same projection as the MME. However, for the summer Hadley circulation, the MME shows little change under RCP4.5 and large intermodel spread is apparent. Around half of the models project an increase, and the other half project a decrease. Under the RCP8.5 scenario, the MME and 65% of the models project a weakening of the summer southern Hadley circulation.     

How the “best” CMIP5 models project relations of Asian–Pacific Oscillation to circulation backgrounds favorable for tropical cyclone genesis over the western North Pacific

Based on the simulations of 32 models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5), the present study assesses their capacity to simulate the relationship of the summer Asian–Pacific Oscillation (APO) with the vertical zonal wind shear, low-level atmospheric vorticity, mid-level humidity, atmospheric divergence in the lower and upper troposphere, and western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) that are closely associated with the genesis of tropical cyclones over the western North Pacific. The results indicate that five models can simultaneously reproduce the observed pattern with the positive APO phase accompanied by weak vertical zonal wind shear, strengthened vorticity in the lower troposphere, increased mid-level humidity, intensified low-level convergence and high-level divergence, and a northward-located WPSH over the western North Pacific. These five models are further used to project their potential relationship under the RCP8.5 scenario during 2050–2099. Compared to 1950–1999, the relationship between the APO and the vertical zonal wind shear is projected to weaken by both the multi-model ensemble and the individual models. Its linkage to the low-level vorticity, mid-level humidity, atmospheric divergence in the lower and upper troposphere, and the northward–southward movement of the WPSH would also reduce slightly but still be significant. However, the individual models show relatively large differences in projecting the linkage between the APO and the mid-level humidity and low-level divergence.     

Quantitative analysis of the feedback induced by the freshwater flux in the tropical Pacific using CMIP5

Freshwater flux (FWF) directly affects sea surface salinity (SSS) and hence modulates sea surface temperature (SST) in the tropical Pacific. This paper quantifies a positive correlation between FWF and SST using observations and simulations of the fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) to analyze the interannual variability in the tropical Pacific. Comparisons among the displacements of FWF, SSS and SST interannual variabilities illustrate that a large FWF variability is located in the west-central equatorial Pacific, covarying with a large SSS variability, whereas a large SST variability is located in the eastern equatorial Pacific. Most CMIP5 models can reproduce the fact that FWF leads to positive feedback to SST through an SSS anomaly as observed. However, the difference in each model's performance results from different simulation capabilities of the CMIP5 models in the magnitudes and positions of the interannual variabilities, including the mixed layer depth and the buoyancy flux in the equatorial Pacific. SSS anomalies simulated from the CMIP5 multi-model are sensitive to FWF interannual anomalies, which can lead to differences in feedback to interannual SST variabilities. The relationships among the FWF, SSS and SST interannual variabilities can be derived using linear quantitative measures from observations and the CMIP5 multi-model simulations. A 1 mm d-1 FWF anomaly corresponds to an SSS anomaly of nearly 0.12 psu in the western tropical Pacific and a 0.11°C SST anomaly in the eastern tropical Pacific.     

The South Pacific Convergence Zone in CMIP5 simulations of historical and future climate

The South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) is evaluated in historical simulations from 26 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) models, and compared with previous generation CMIP3 models. A subset of 24 CMIP5 models are able to simulate a distinct SPCZ in the December to February (DJF) austral summer, although the position of the SPCZ in these models is too zonal compared with observations. The spatial pattern of SPCZ precipitation is improved in CMIP5 models relative to CMIP3 models, although the spurious double ITCZ precipitation band in the eastern Pacific is intensified in many CMIP5 models. All CMIP5 models examined capture some interannual variability of SPCZ latitude, and 19 models simulate a realistic correlation with El Niño–Southern Oscillation. In simulations of the twenty-first century under the RCP8.5 emission scenario, no consistent shift in the mean position of the DJF SPCZ is identified. Several models simulate significant shifts northward, and a similar number of models simulate significant southward shifts. The majority of CMIP5 models simulate an increase in mean DJF SPCZ precipitation, and there is an intensification of the eastern Pacific double ITCZ precipitation band in many models. Most models simulate regions of increased precipitation in the western part of the SPCZ and near the equator, and regions of decreased precipitation at the eastern edge of the SPCZ. Decomposition of SPCZ precipitation changes into dynamic and thermodynamic components reveals predominantly increased precipitation due to thermodynamic changes, while dynamic changes lead to regions of both positive and negative precipitation anomalies.     

CMIP5耦合模式对欧亚大陆冬季雪水当量的模拟及预估

基于美国冰雪资料中心(NSIDC)提供的卫星遥感雪水当量资料,评估了26个CMIP5(Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project)耦合模式对1981~2005年欧亚大陆冬季雪水当量的模拟能力,在此基础上应用多模式集合平均结果,预估了21世纪欧亚大陆雪水当量的变化情况。结果表明,CMIP5耦合模式对欧亚大陆冬季雪水当量空间分布具有一定的模拟能力,能够再现出欧亚大陆冬季雪水当量由南向北递增、青藏高原积雪多于同纬度其他地区的特征;就雪水当量的幅值而言,几乎所有模式均显著低估了西伯利亚中部雪水当量的大值中心,对中国东北地区雪水当量的模拟也显著偏低,但模式对乌拉尔山以西的东欧平原、我国北方及蒙古地区冬季雪水当量的模拟却比卫星遥感资料显著偏大,此外模式对堪察加半岛及以北的西伯利亚东北部地区的雪水当量也明显偏大。对于青藏高原地区,虽然部分模式可以模拟出青藏高原东部的雪水当量大值区,但大多数模式对青藏高原西部雪水当量的模拟却明显偏大,存在虚假的大值中心。对遥感反演资料的EOF(Empirical Orthogonal Function)分解表明,对于EOF第一个模态所对应欧亚大陆全区一致的年代际变化特征,仅有少数模式具有一定的模拟能力,大多数模式以及多模式集合的结果均未能予以反映;对应于欧亚大陆雪水当量年际变化的EOF第二模态而言,仅有少数模式(如俄罗斯的INMCM4)具有一定的再现能力,绝大多数模式对该模态及其时间演变的特征没有模拟能力。比较CMIP5多模式的集合预估结果与1981~2005年基准时段的雪水当量,可以发现在RCP4.5排放情景下,西伯利亚中东部地区的雪水当量相对于基准时段显著增加,区域平均的增加量在21世纪前、中、后期分别为4.1mm、5.4 mm和6.8 mm,且随时间增加得更显著;对90°E以西的欧洲大陆和青藏高原地区,其雪水当量则相对减少,减少的幅度和显著性也随时间而增大。就雪水当量的相对变化而言,在欧亚大陆东北部存在雪水当量相对变化的大值区,在21世纪后期相对变化显著区大都在5%~10%;但在青藏高原、斯堪的纳维亚半岛进和东欧平原,并没有发现雪水当量相对变化的髙值区,这是由于这些区域冬季雪水当量的幅值较大的缘故。RCP8.5情景下欧亚大陆雪水当量的变化特征与RCP4.5相类似,只是变化的幅度更大。     

Pacific variability reconciles observed and modelled global mean temperature increase since 1950

Global mean temperature change simulated by climate models deviates from the observed temperature increase during decadal-scale periods in the past. In particular, warming during the ‘global warming hiatus’ in the early twenty-first century appears overestimated in CMIP5 and CMIP6 multi-model means. We examine the role of equatorial Pacific variability in these divergences since 1950 by comparing 18 studies that quantify the Pacific contribution to the ‘hiatus’ and earlier periods and by investigating the reasons for differing results. During the ‘global warming hiatus’ from 1992 to 2012, the estimated contributions differ by a factor of five, with multiple linear regression approaches generally indicating a smaller contribution of Pacific variability to global temperature than climate model experiments where the simulated tropical Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) or wind stress anomalies are nudged towards observations. These so-called pacemaker experiments suggest that the ‘hiatus’ is fully explained and possibly over-explained by Pacific variability. Most of the spread across the studies can be attributed to two factors: neglecting the forced signal in tropical Pacific SST, which is often the case in multiple regression studies but not in pacemaker experiments, underestimates the Pacific contribution to global temperature change by a factor of two during the ‘hiatus’; the sensitivity with which the global temperature responds to Pacific variability varies by a factor of two between models on a decadal time scale, questioning the robustness of single model pacemaker experiments. Once we have accounted for these factors, the CMIP5 mean warming adjusted for Pacific variability reproduces the observed annual global mean temperature closely, with a correlation coefficient of 0.985 from 1950 to 2018. The CMIP6 ensemble performs less favourably but improves if the models with the highest transient climate response are omitted from the ensemble mean.