Projected 21st century snowfall changes over the French Alps and related uncertainties

Snowfall changes in mountain areas in response to anthropogenic forcing could have widespread hydrological, ecological and economic impacts. In this paper, the robustness of snowfall changes over the French Alps projected during the 21st century and the associated uncertainties are studied. In particular, the role of temperature changes on snowfall changes is investigated. Those issues are tackled through the analysis of the results of a very large ensemble of high-resolution regional climate projections, obtained either through dynamical or statistical downscaling. We find that, at the beginning and at the end of the cold season extending from November to March (included), temperature change is an important source of spread in snowfall changes. However, no link is found between temperature and snowfall changes in January and February. At the beginning and at the end of the cold season, the rate of change in snowfall per Kelvin does not depend much on the bias correction step, the period or the greenhouse gas scenario but mostly on the downscaling method and the climate models, the latter uncertainty source being dominant.     

21世纪平流层温度变化和臭氧恢复

温室气体增加和可能的臭氧恢复将是影响21世纪平流层温度变化的两个主要因素。温室气体增加的辐射效应将导致平流层变冷,而臭氧恢复将导致平流层变暖。为探讨平流层温度在这两种相反因素作用下的变化趋势,研究中使用了观测的臭氧和温度资料以及4个有代表性的IPCC AR4海气耦合的全球环流模式的模拟结果（GISS-ER、GFDL CM20、NCAR CCSM3和UKMO-HadCM3）。观测分析结果表明,在近10年来臭氧柱含量和平流层低层温度均有升高的趋势,平流层中层温度仍然延续20世纪后20年的变冷趋势。IPCC-AR4的模拟结果表明,单纯温室气体增加将造成平流层变冷。可是,在同时考虑温室气体增加和臭氧层恢复的情况下,模拟结果表明平流层中上层仍将维持变冷的趋势,而下层则存在变暖的趋势,但几个模式给出的变暖趋势有差别。UKMO-HadCM3给出的模拟结果是在3种温室气体排放情况下平流层低层均呈现较强的变暖趋势,变暖的层次可达40 hPa;GFDL-CM20和NCAR-CCSM3给出的变暖趋势较弱一些,并且变暖主要位于60 hPa以下的层次。     

Projected 21st century trends in hydroclimatology of the Tahoe basin

With down-scaled output from two General Circulation Models (the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, or GFDL, and the Parallel Climate Model, or PCM) and two emissions scenarios (A2 and B1), we project future trends in temperature and precipitation for the Tahoe basin. With the GFDL, we also project drought conditions and (through the use of a distributed hydrologic model) flood frequency. The steepest trend (GFDL with A2) indicates a 4–5°C warming by the end of the 21st century. Trends in annual precipitation are more modest with a dip in the latter half of the 21st century indicated by the GFDL/A2 case, but not the others. Comparisons with the Palmer Drought Severity Index show that drought will increase, in part due to the declining role of the snowpack as a reservoir for soil moisture replenishment. Analysis of flood frequency for the largest watershed in the basin indicates that the magnitude of the 100-yr flood could increase up to 2.5-fold for the middle third of the century, but decline thereafter as the climate warms and dries. These trends have major implications for the management of land and water resources in the Tahoe basin, as well as for design and maintenance of infrastructure.     

Teleconnections of air temperature variations over the European part of Russia during intensive global warming at the end of the 20th century and at the beginning of the 21st century

Presented are the results of studying the spatial correlations between the air temperature over the European part of Russia and the sea surface temperature in different parts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. The analysis of correlations demonstrated the existence of synchronous variations. Depending on the area, these variations can be in phase or in antiphase, that is manifested in the presence of positive and negative teleconnections. Perhaps, the obtained statistical teleconnections are the effects of some global natural fluctuation processes of the climate system taking place synchronously throughout the globe and controlled by the general mechanism.     

SRES A2情景下中国区域21世纪末平均和极端气候变化的模拟

利用Hadley气候预测与研究中心的区域气候模式系统PRECIS单向嵌套该中心全球海-气耦合气候模式HadCM3高分辨率的大气部分HadAM3H,分析了SRES A2情景下2071-2100年相对于气候基准时段（1961-1990年）中国区域的气候变化,包括气温和降水的年际、季节和日时间尺度的变化以及极端气候事件的变化趋势。模拟结果表明：气温呈明显增加趋势,其中新疆和东北地区增温明显。而降水表现了更大的年际变化和季节变化,冬季南方降水减少,但沿黄河流域的降水明显增加,夏季与冬季相比呈现出相反的趋势。此外,连续高温日数呈现增加趋势,而连续霜冻日数呈现减少趋势。连续湿日数也表现出一定的增加趋势。     

东北5月降水在21世纪初的年代际变化及可能成因

基于1961—2015年东北地区的台站降水观测资料及全球环流和海温再分析资料,利用统计分析、物理量诊断等方法,探讨了东北5月降水的年代际变化,及其与大气环流和海温外强迫的关系。研究发现,东北5月降水具有和东北盛夏降水明显不同的年代际变化特征,在20世纪80年代中期至90年代初处于年代际偏少阶段,而在21世纪初转变为年代际偏多阶段。东北5月降水在21世纪初的年代际变化主要由5月东北亚低压强弱的年代际变化造成,在21世纪初,东北亚低压相对于气候态明显偏强,有利于东北降水偏多;而在20世纪80年代初至90年代初,东北亚低压减弱为较浅的低槽,导致东北降水偏少。来自北大西洋的欧亚大陆位势高度异常波列引起东北亚上空的垂直运动异常,导致了东北亚低压的上述年代际变化。5月热带北大西洋海温异常很可能是激发上述波列进而造成东北亚低压和东北5月降水在21世纪初年代际变化的外强迫信号。     

Daily precipitation intensity projected for the 21st century: seasonal changes over the Pyrenees

A set of climate parameters (mean precipitation, number of wet days, daily intensity, and number of days with more than 50 mm rainfall) and a quantile-based approach are used to assess the expected changes in daily precipitation characteristics over the Pyrenees predicted for the 21st century using a set of regional climate models (RCMs). The features of the geographic location and topography of the Pyrenees imply that the climate of the region is highly complex. The results point toward an intensification of extremes, with a generalized tendency toward increasing drought periods, an increasing trend in daily intensity, and an increasing contribution of intense events to total precipitation; however, the results are subject to substantial spatial and seasonal variability, mainly related to the Atlantic-Mediterranean gradient and the longitudinal disposition of the main axis of the range.     

21世纪中国东北地区气候变化预估

利用各国政府间气候变化专门委员会(IPCC)第4次科学评估报告中全球气候系统模式组考虑人类排放情景的计算结果,计算与分析了多个气候模式对21世纪中国东北地区气候变化的集成预估结果。多模式集成预估结果表明:到21世纪后期,由于人类排放增加的影响,中国东北地区气温将可能较目前变暖3.0℃或以上,降水将可能增加。需要注意这种气候变化对中国东北地区社会经济的长远影响。     

Analysis of changes in air temperature in Russia and empirical forecast for the first quarter of the 21st century

Changes in air temperature in administrative districts of the Russian Federation are studied. The in-regional homogeneity of modern climate changes is estimated based on several criteria for the first half of the 20th century and for the next period. The relation between regional changes in mean annual and seasonal temperatures and global air temperature is considered, and an empirical forecast for one or two decades is suggested to be made on its basis. Empirical regional forecasts of a rate of changes in mean annual air temperature are compared with the calculation results from five general circulation models.     

Statistical modeling of CMIP5 projected changes in extreme wet spells over China in the late 21st century

The observed intensity, frequency, and duration (IFD) of summer wet spells, defined here as extreme events with one or more consecutive days in which daily precipitation exceeds a given threshold (the 95th percentile), and their future changes in RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 in the late 21st century over China, are investigated by using the wet spell model (WSM) and by extending the point process approach to extreme value analysis. Wet spell intensity is modeled by a conditional generalized Pareto distribution, frequency by a Poisson distribution, and duration by a geometric distribution, respectively. The WSM is able to realistically model summer extreme rainfall spells during 1961–2005, as verified with observations at 553 stations throughout China. To minimize the impact of systematic biases over China in the global climate models (GCMs) of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5), five best GCMs are selected based on their performance to reproduce observed wet spell IFD and average precipitation during the historical period. Furthermore, a quantile–quantile scaling correction procedure is proposed and applied to produce ensemble projections of wet spell IFD and corresponding probability distributions. The results show that in the late 21st century, most of China will experience more extreme rainfall and less low-intensity rainfall. The intensity and frequency of wet spells are projected to increase considerably, while the duration of wet spells will increase but to a much less extent. The IFD changes in RCP8.5 are in general much larger than those in RCP4.5.     

关于21世纪初增暖停滞现象的研究综述

1引言近一百多年全球地面平均温度(常指2 m大气温度,Global mean surface temperature,简称GMST)有明显的年代际增温趋势,同时存在显著波动特征。从观测和模拟的结果来看,20世纪中期和21世纪初期是两个明显的增暖停滞时期,增温幅度很小。21世纪初期的Hiatus事件中,GMST增温幅度明显小于1979-2005年的0.18 °C /10yr[1]。最早关注此次Hiatus事件的是Carter[2],他发现1998-2005年间GMST并未增加。2009年,Easterling等[3]和Knight等[4]先后对此次事件进行了研究。随着Hiatus现象的持续,科学界才越来越重视,探讨其成因、影响以及未来是否仍将持续的问题[5]。我国科学家就此问题也进行了积极探索[6]。     

基于IPCC AR4部分耦合模式结果的21世纪长江中下游强降水预估

利用IPCC AR4气候模式诊断和相互比较项目(PCMDI)20世纪模拟试验资料, 通过模式气候态与观测(再分析)气候态的对比, 从存有完整逐日降水资料的14个模式中挑选出7个对东亚模拟较好的模式(即gfdl cm2.0、 gfdl cm2.1、 cgcm、miroc(m)、 cnrm、 echam、 cgcmt47)。然后, 利用这7个模式在A1B、 A2、 B1三种不同温室气体排放情景下21世纪预估试验结果, 分析长江中下游强降水的未来演变。结果表明: 不同模式模拟结果有较好的一致性。相对20世纪后20年(1980—1999年)的平均而言, 21世纪不仅年平均强降水日数、 单次强降水强度呈现上升趋势, 且其年际变率也增强; 就不同排放情景比较而言, A1B、 A2情景下强降水频次与强度的增强趋势均比B1情景下要大; 就多模式平均来看, 在A1B、 A2、 B1排放情景下, 强降水频次分别增加约30%、 20%、 l5％, 强降水强度分别增加约20%、20%、 10%, 强降水频次的年际标准差在三种情景下均增加约20%, 强降水强度年际标准差分别增加约20%、20%、 10%。这些结果意味着, 未来不仅强降水增加, 且极端暴雨、 大暴雨易于出现, 旱涝也将更为频繁。     

Seasonal and intraseasonal changes of African monsoon climates in 21st century CORDEX projections

We analyze a mini ensemble of regional climate projections over the CORDEX Africa domain carried out with RegCM4 model as part of the Phase I CREMA experiment (Giorgi 2013). RegCM4 is driven by the HadGEM2-ES and MPI-ESM global models for the RCP8.5 and RCP4.5 greenhouse gas and aerosol concentration scenarios. The focus of the analysis is on seasonal and intraseasonal monsoon characteristics. We find two prominent change signals. Over West Africa and the Sahel MPI produces a forward shift in the monsoon season in line with previous findings, and this shift is also simulated by the RegCM4. Furthermore, the regional model produces a widespread decrease of monsoon precipitation (when driven by both MPI and HadGEM) associated with decreased easterly wave activity in the 6–9 days regime and with soil moisture-precipitation interactions. South of the equator we find an extension of the dry season with delayed onset and anticipated recession of the monsoon and a narrowing and strengthening of the ITCZ precipitation band. This signal is consistent in all global and regional model projections, although with different spatial detail. We plan to enlarge this mini-ensemble as a further contribution to the CORDEX project to better assess the robustness of the signals found in this paper.     

21世纪前期长江中下游流域极端降水预估及不确定性分析

在全球变暖背景下,极端降水的频率、强度以及持续时间均在显著增加,尤其是对于气候变化敏感的长江中下游流域。由于模式本身、温室气体排放情景以及自然变率存在较大的不确定性,因此未来预估变化的不确定性一直备受关注。为了能够得到对于未来极端降水更为准确的预估结果,使用NEX-GDDP（NASA Earth Exchange Global Daily Downscaled Projections）提供的19个CMIP5降尺度高分辨率数据（0.25°×0.25°）,给出21世纪前期（2016—2035年）长江中下游流域极端降水的可能变化。根据长江中下游流域178个气象站1981—2005年的逐日降水量数据,计算了能够代表极端降水不同特征的指数,在评估模拟能力的基础上给出了21世纪前期RCP4.5情景下极端降水的变化。结果表明,降尺度结果对长江中下游流域极端降水有很好的模拟能力,除R90N外,所有模式模拟其余指数的空间结构与观测的相关系数均超过了0.6。其中所有模式模拟PRCPTOT和R10的相关系数均超过0.95。21世纪前期,长江中下游地区降水趋于极端化,尤其是在流域的西部地区。极端降水日数的变化在减少,表明对于极端降水的贡献主要来自于极端降水日的较大日降水量,而非极端降水日数。未来预估不确定性的大值区主要位于流域的南部地区,流域的西部地区不确定性较低,西部地区极端降水的增加应该受到更多的重视。      

Characteristics of cyclones and anticyclones over Siberia in the late 20th and early 21st century

The characteristics of cyclones and anticyclones (number, pressure in the center, and duration) over the territory of Siberia (50°-70° N, 60°-110° E) in 1976-2011 obtained using surface weather charts are investigated. The relationship between the variability of these characteristics and the variability of surface air temperature is revealed.