The Warming of Lake Tahoe

Summary We investigated the effects of climate variability on the thermal structure of Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada, 1970–2002, and with principal components analysis and step-wise multiple regression, related the volume-weighed average lake temperature to trends in climate. We then used a 1-dimensional hydrodynamic model to show that the observed trends in the climatic forcing variables can reasonably explain the observed changes in the lake. Between 1970 and 2002, the volume-weighted mean temperature of the lake increased at an average rate of 0.015 ^∘C yr⁻¹. Trends in the climatic drivers include 1) upward trends in maximum and minimum daily air temperature at Tahoe City; and 2) a slight upward trend in downward long-wave radiation. Changes in the thermal structure of the lake include 1) a long-term warming trend, with the highest rates near the surface and at 400 m; 2) an increase in the resistance of the lake to mixing and stratification, as measured by the Schmidt Stability and Birge Work; 3) a trend toward decreasing depth of the October thermocline. The long-term changes in the thermal structure of Lake Tahoe may interact with and exacerbate the well-documented trends in the lake's clarity and primary productivity.     

中国南方2008年1月罕见低温雨雪冰冻灾害发生的原因及其与气候变暖的关系

2008年1月中国南方发生的低温、雨雪、冰冻灾害不是一个局地或地区性现象,它是同期发生的亚洲大范围冰雪灾害链中的一环,在影响范围和灾害程度上是最严重的一环.它有3个主要特征:(1)降雪、冻雨和降雨3种天气并存,冻雨是导致南方致灾的主要原因;(2)低温、雨雪、冻雨天气强度大,根据中国国家气候中心和南方各省气象部门的统计及分析,有8项气象要素打破同期中国历史记录;(3)低温、雨雪、冰冻天气持续时间长,破历史记录.这次低温、雨雪冰冻灾害形成的原因不是单一的,是多种因素在同一时段,同一地区相互配合和迭加的结果,其中La Nina事件是灾害发生的气候背景,它为雨雪冰冻天气提供了冷空气侵袭中国南方的前提条件;欧亚大气环流异常持续性是造成冷空气不断侵袭中国南方的直接原因;孟加拉湾和南海地区暖湿气流的北上是大范围冻雨和降雪形成并持续在中国南方的必要条件.     

Local climatic drivers of changes in phenology at a boreal-temperate ecotone in eastern North America

Ecosystems in biogeographical transition zones, or ecotones, tend to be highly sensitive to climate and can provide early indications of future change. To evaluate recent climatic changes and their impacts in a boreal-temperate ecotone in eastern North America, we analyzed ice phenology records (1975?C2007) for five lakes in the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York State. We observed rapidly decreasing trends of up to 21?days less ice cover, mostly due to later freeze-up and partially due to earlier break-up. To evaluate the local drivers of these lake ice changes, we modeled ice phenology based on local climate data, derived climatic predictors from the models, and evaluated trends in those predictors to determine which were responsible for observed changes in lake ice. November and December temperature and snow depth consistently predicted ice-in, and recent trends of warming and decreasing snow during these months were consistent with later ice formation. March and April temperature and snow depth consistently predicted ice-out, but the absence of trends in snow depth during these months, despite concurrent warming, resulted in much weaker trends for ice-out. Recent rates of warming in the Adirondacks are among the highest regionally, although with a different seasonality of changes (early winter > late winter) that is consistent with other lake ice records in the surrounding area. Projected future declines in snow cover could create positive feedbacks and accelerate current rates of ice loss due to warming. Climate sensitivity was greatest for the larger lakes in our study, including Wolf Lake, considered one of the most ecologically intact ??wilderness lakes?? in eastern North America. Our study provides further evidence of climate sensitivity of the boreal-temperate ecotone of eastern North America and points to emergent conservation challenges posed by climate change in legally protected yet vulnerable landscapes like the Adirondack Park.     

Snowpack and runoff response to climate change in Owens Valley and Mono Lake watersheds

Precipitation from the Eastern Sierra Nevada watersheds of Owens Lake and Mono Lake is one of the main water sources for Los Angeles’ over 4 million people, and plays a major role in the ecology of Mono Lake and of these watersheds. We use the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrologic model at daily time scale, forced by climate projections from 16 global climate models under greenhouse gas emissions scenarios B1 and A2, to evaluate likely hydrologic responses in these watersheds for 1950–2099. Comparing climate in the latter half of the 20th Century to projections for 2070–2099, we find that all projections indicate continued temperature increases, by 2–5 °C, but differ on precipitation changes, ranging from ?24 % to +56 %. As a result, the fraction of precipitation falling as rain is projected to increase, from a historical 0.19 to a range of 0.26–0.52 (depending on the GCM and emission scenario), leading to earlier timing of the annual hydrograph’s center, by a range of 9–37 days. Snowpack accumulation depends on temperature and even more strongly on precipitation due to the high elevation of these watersheds (reaching 4,000 m), and projected changes for April 1 snow water equivalent range from ?67 % to +9 %. We characterize the watershed’s hydrologic response using variables integrated in space over the entire simulated area and aggregated in time over 30-year periods. We show that from the complex dynamics acting at fine time scales (seasonal and sub-seasonal) simple dynamics emerge at this multi-year time scale. Of particular interest are the dynamic effects of temperature. Warming anticipates hydrograph timing, by raising the fraction of precipitation falling as rain, reducing the volume of snowmelt, and initiating snowmelt earlier. This timing shift results in the depletion of soil moisture in summer, when potential evapotranspiration is highest. Summer evapotranspiration losses are limited by soil moisture availability, and as a result the watershed’s water balance at the annual and longer scales is insensitive to warming. Mean annual runoff changes at base-of-mountain stations are thus strongly determined by precipitation changes.     

Observed changes in daily temperature and precipitation indices for southern Québec, 1960–2005

Abstract

Trends and variations in daily temperature and precipitation indices in southern Québec are examined for the period 1960–2005. The indices are based on daily temperature and daily precipitation which have been recently adjusted at 53 climatological stations. The adjustments were made for site relocation, changes in observing programs, known instrument changes and measurement program deficiencies. The results show that the surface air temperature has increased in southern Québec over 1960–2005. Significant warming is evident in the western, southern and central parts of the province but the increasing trends become smaller toward the east. The warming is greater during the winter although many significant increasing trends are found in the summer. The analysis of the temperature extremes strongly indicates the occurrence of more nights with extreme high temperatures in all seasons. The temperature indices also suggest an increase in the number of thaw/frost days during the winter (days with maximum temperature above 0°C and minimum temperature below 0°C), a decrease in the length of the frost season, an increase in the length of the growing season, a decrease in heating degree days and an increase in cooling degree days. The precipitation indices show an increase in the annual total rainfall although many stations indicate decreasing trends during the summer. The number of days with rain has increased over the region whereas the number of days with snow and the total snow amounts have decreased over the past 46 years.     

全球变暖背景下江淮地区降水强度分布结构变化的特征分析

利用1961～2006年江淮地区80个站点的逐日降水资料,根据百分位数确定极端降水阈值的方法,比较了全球气候变暖背景下该区域降水强度的分布结构特征。结果表明,在全球气候典型暖异常的年份里,江淮地区极端降水日数占总降水日数的比重比冷年增加30%以上,极端降水总量的比重增加13%左右;而微量降水日数所占比重比冷年减少近60%,微量降水总量减少了80%,说明全球变暖后江淮地区降水强度分布结构呈现弱降水减少,强降水增多的显著两极分化特征,且该特征在江淮地区基本一致。冬、夏季对比表明,冬季的变化幅度比全年和夏季更大。可见全球变暖背景下未来江淮地区降水强度分布结构出现两极分化趋势可能性增加。     

西南地区城市热岛强度变化对地面气温序列影响

利用1961—2004年我国西南地区322个站的气温观测资料, 分析了乡村站、小城市站、大中城市站和国家基准/基本站气温变化趋势特点, 着重研究了城市化对城镇站和国家站地面气温记录的影响程度和相对贡献比例。结果显示:区域平均的各类台站年平均气温呈现不同程度的上升趋势, 城市站、国家站的增温速率均高于乡村站。大中城市站和国家站的年平均热岛增温率分别为0.086 ℃/ 10a和0.052 ℃/10a, 其增温贡献率分别达57.6%和45.3%。与大多数地区不同, 西南地区的增温速率明显偏小。因此, 尽管平均热岛强度变化比许多地区弱, 但其相对贡献明显, 表明城市化对该区域气温趋势的绝对影响较弱, 但相对影响较强。另外, 城市热岛增温有明显的季节变化, 表现为秋季最强, 春季或冬季次之, 夏季最弱。热岛增温贡献率则为春季最大 (100%), 夏季次之 (73%以上), 秋季和冬季相对较小。这主要是因为春、夏两季背景气候变凉或趋势微弱, 热岛增温在实际增温中占有更高的比例。     

Long-term variations of elements of hydrometeorological regime of the Rybinsk Reservoir

Variations of hydrometeorological variables of the Rybinsk Reservoir area from 1947 to 2005 are analyzed. A special attention is given to the global warming period started since 1976. It is shown that the intensity of air temperature increase on the reservoir shore during recent 30 years made up 0.46–0.56°C/10 years. The maximum increase in the water temperature at shore stations and in the surface layer was registered in July at an increase rate of 0.7–1.2°C/10 years. The change in climate conditions resulted in the increase in low-water runoff, decrease in snowmelt flood volumes, and shift in the time of snowmelt flood start.     

2008年初持续雨雪灾害过程分析

利用地面实况资料与长沙单站探空等观测资料,对2008年1月中下旬至2月上旬初发生在湖南的低温、雨雪、冻雨灾害天气过程的影响实况和成因进行了分析.结果表明:中高纬阻高的建立、崩溃、重建导致其前部的鄂霍茨克海低涡不断引导冷空气南下,是产生低温、雨雪、冻雨的大气环流背景;南支锋区上强盛的西南气流带来了充沛的水汽,与北支锋区上南下的冷空气结合时,出现了持续的冻雨,当冻雨形成后逆温的强弱、融化层厚度及暖层温度高低、冷却层厚度、700 hPa西南气流强弱、日平均气温与日雨量的变化都与冻雨厚度变化密切相关;当高空南支有低槽分裂东移,中低层西南大风核上强烈的水汽辐合与阻高崩溃横槽转竖带来的冷空气共同作用影响时,为南方大范围暴雪过程提供了动力、水汽和凝结条件.     

融雪性降水量资料实时处理技术

介绍区域自动站冬季融雪产生的雨量记录的识别和自动处理的方法。将融雪性降水量的识别分为降雪和融雪两个过程。在满足降雪的前提条件下,测站有雨量记录,且当时符合融雪条件,则该雨量记录作为融雪产生的记录处理。据实际使用自动识别的准确率可达90%以上。降雪和融雪的条件以区域自动站的气温作为主要依据,结合临近的国家气象观测站资料进行综合判别。为提高对天气状况和降水性质的识别还加入了雷达估测降水和冬季降水相态判别等产品,弥补用单一参考站降水资料的缺陷,对融雪雨量记录识别效果有显著作用。     

Projections and downscaling of 21st century temperatures, precipitation, radiative fluxes and winds for the Southwestern US, with focus on Lake Tahoe

Recent projections of global climate changes in response to increasing greenhouse-gas concentrations in the atmosphere include warming in the Southwestern US and, especially, in the vicinity of Lake Tahoe of from about +3°C to +6°C by end of century and changes in precipitation on the order of 5–10 % increases or (more commonly) decreases, depending on the climate model considered. Along with these basic changes, other climate variables like solar insolation, downwelling (longwave) radiant heat, and winds may change. Together these climate changes may result in changes in the hydrology of the Tahoe basin and potential changes in lake overturning and ecological regimes. Current climate projections, however, are generally spatially too coarse (with grid cells separated by 1 to 2° latitude and longitude) for direct use in assessments of the vulnerabilities of the much smaller Tahoe basin. Thus, daily temperatures, precipitation, winds, and downward radiation fluxes from selected global projections have been downscaled by a statistical method called the constructed-analogues method onto 10 to 12 km grids over the Southwest and especially over Lake Tahoe. Precipitation, solar insolation and winds over the Tahoe basin change only moderately (and with indeterminate signs) in the downscaled projections, whereas temperatures and downward longwave fluxes increase along with imposed increases in global greenhouse-gas concentrations.     

Falling Lake Victoria water levels: Is climate a contributing factor?

Recently, and perhaps most threatening, Lake Victoria water level has been receding at an alarming rate. A recent study suggested the possibility of the expanded hydroelectric power station in Uganda. However, since the lake receives 80% of its refill through direct rainfall and only 20% from the basin discharge, climatic contributions cannot be ignored, since the 80% water is directly dependant on it. It is therefore necessary to investigate climatic contribution to the declining Lake Victoria water level observed over a long period, i.e., 30 years. This contribution uses 30 years period anomalies for rainfall, river discharge and lake level changes of stations within Lake Victoria basin to analyse linear and cyclic trends of climate indicators in relation to Lake levels. Linear trend analysis using the Student’s t test indicate a decreasing pattern in rainfall anomalies, with the slope being statistically similar to those of water levels at both Kisumu, Maziba and Jinja stations for the same period of time (1976–1999), thus showing a strong correlation. On the other hand, cyclic trend analysis using Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) shows cyclic period of water level to coincide with those of droughts and rainfall. The strong relationship between climatic indicators of drought and rainfall on one-hand and lake levels on the other hand signifies the need to incorporate climate information in predicting, monitoring and managing lake level changes.     

Indicators of Climate Warming in Minnesota: Lake ICE Covers and Snowmelt Runoff

Records of hydrologic parameters, especially those parameters that are directly linked to air temperature, were analyzed to find indicators of recent climate warming in Minnesota, USA. Minnesota is projected to be vulnerable to climate change because of its location in the northern temperate zone of the globe. Ice-out and ice-in dates on lakes, spring (snowmelt) runoff timing, spring discharge values in streams, and stream water temperatures recorded up to the year 2002 were selected for study. The analysis was conducted by inspection of 10-year moving averages, linear regression on complete and on partial records, and by ranking and sorting of events. Moving averages were used for illustrative purposes only. All statistics were computed on annual data. All parameters examined show trends, and sometimes quite variable trends, over different periods of the record. With the exception of spring stream flow rates the trends of all parameters examined point toward a warming climate in Minnesota over the last two or three decades. Although hidden among strong variability from year to year, ice-out dates on 73 lakes have been shifting to an earlier date at a rate of −0.13 days/year from 1965 to 2002, while ice-in dates on 34 lakes have been delayed by 0.75 days/year from 1979 to 2002. From 1990 to 2002 the rates of change increased to −0.25 days/year for ice-out and 1.44 days/year for ice-in. Trend analyses also show that spring runoff at 21 stream gaging sites examined occurs earlier. From 1964 to 2002 the first spring runoff (due to snowmelt) has occurred −0.30 days/year earlier and the first spring peak runoff −0.23 days/year earlier. The stream water temperature records from 15 sites in the Minneapolis/St Paul metropolitan area shows warming by 0.11^∘C/year, on the average, from 1977 to 2002. Urban development may have had a strong influence. The analysis of spring stream flow rates was inconclusive, probably because runoff is linked as much to precipitation and land use as to air temperature. Ranking and sorting of annual data shows that a disproportionately large number of early lake ice-out dates has occurred after 1985, but also between 1940 and 1950; similarly late lake ice-in has occurred more frequently since about 1990. Ranking and sorting of first spring runoff dates also gave evidence of earlier occurrences, i.e. climate warming in late winter. A relationship of changes in hydrologic parameters with trends in air temperature records was demonstrated. Ice-out dates were shown to correlate most strongly with average March air temperatures shifting by −2.0 days for a 1^°C increase in March air temperature. Spring runoff dates also show a relationship with March air temperatures; spring runoff dates shift at a rate of −2.5 days/1^°C minimum March air temperature change. Water temperatures at seven river sites in the Minneapolis/St Paul metropolitan area show an average rise of 0.46^°C in river temperature/1^°C mean annual air temperature change, but this rate of change probably includes effects of urban development. In conclusion, records of five hydrologic parameters that are closely linked to air temperature show a trend that suggests recent climate warming in Minnesota, and especially from 1990 to 2002. The recent rates of change calculated from the records are very noteworthy, but must not be used to project future parameter values, since trends cannot continue indefinitely, and trend reversals can be seen in some of the long-term records.     

青海省近40年雨日、雨强气候变化特征

利用青海省1961-2002年26个代表站逐日雨量资料和青海省东部地区10个站1981～2001年降水自记资料,分析近40年来青海省雨日、雨强气候变化。结果表明：青海近年来虽然夏半年降水量和雨日在减少,但降水强度在增大。夏半年降水量的减少主要是降水日数的减少造成的;而冬半年降水量的明显增加是由于雨日增多和每个降水日平均雨量的增大造成的。近20年来10分钟、1小时最大降水的强度在明显增加。同时,20世纪90年代夜间出现强降水的几率多于80年代。     

Causes of recent changes in western North American snowpack

Monthly snow water equivalent (SWE) station observations and gridded temperature data are used to identify mechanisms by which warming affects the temporal and geographical structure of changes in western North American mountain snowpack. We first exploit interannual variability to demonstrate the sensitivity of snowpack to temperature during the various phases of the snow season. We show that mechanisms whereby temperature affects snowpack emerge in the mid to late portion of the snow season (March through May), but are nearly absent during the earliest phase (February), when temperatures are generally well below freezing. The mid to late snow season is precisely when significant loss of snowpack is seen at nearly all locations over the past few decades, both through decreases in snow accumulation and increases in snowmelt. At locations where April 1st SWE has been increasing over the past few decades, the increase is entirely due to a significant enhancement of accumulation during the earliest phase of the snow season, when the sensitivity analysis indicates that temperature is not expected to affect snowpack. Later in the snow season, these stations exhibit significant snowpack loss comparable to the other stations. Based on this analysis, it is difficult to escape the conclusion that recent snowpack changes in western North America are caused by regional-scale warming. Given predictions of future warming, a further reduction in late season snowpack and advancement in the onset of snowmelt should be expected in the coming decades throughout the region.     

梅雨特征量对气候变暖的响应

选取江淮流域梅汛期降水变率一致的34个代表站,划分了1960—1977年(偏冷期)、1978—1996年(过渡期)和1997—2011年(偏暖期)这3个时期,采用统计分析与合成分析的方法,研究了梅雨特征量对气候变暖的响应情况。结果表明:3个时期入梅时间、出梅时间、梅期长度和梅期降水量分别呈现晚-早-晚、早-晚-略晚、短-长-短和少-多-少的变化特点。梅雨强度和梅期雨日数占梅期长度百分比呈现递减趋势。梅期暴雨日数占梅期雨日数百分比、梅期无雨日数占梅期长度百分比和梅期最长连续无雨日数占梅期长度百分比呈现递增趋势。研究了气候变暖后500 hPa大气环流的变化与入梅时间、出梅时间、梅期长度和梅期降水量变化的联系。     

气侯变化背景下黑河上游春季融雪洪水预估研究

气候变暖将导致高山区冰冻圈加剧融化,一方面融水资源时空分布的不确定性增大;另一方面,融水洪水灾害发生的频度和强度也将发生改变。基于气象、水文数据和MODIS积雪覆盖数据,利用融雪径流模型(SRM),对1990—2012年共23年祁连山黑河札马什克控制区融雪期径流进行模拟与验证。结果表明：SRM在该流域具有较高的模拟精度（纳什系数为0.91),可用于分析和预估控制区径流强度变化。为此,采用黑河流域气温、降水降尺度数据,预估了未来气候变化背景下积雪范围变化及不同重现期洪水变化趋势。结果显示,与基准期相比,在RCP2.6、RCP4.5和RCP8.5情景下,最大积雪范围可减小3%~7%,且随着海拔升高,变化愈剧烈。RCP2.6情景下因气温和降水变化幅度较小,到21世纪末各重现期洪水强度保持在10%以内波动;RCP4.5情景下,各重现期洪水强度最高增大约20%;在RCP8.5情景下,各重现期洪水强度最高可增大超30%。相关分析结果显示,不同重现期洪水径流与气温和降水均具有较强相关性：重现期越长,洪峰与气温的相关性越大;重现期越短,洪峰与降水的相关性越大。通过预估气候变化背景下的融雪性洪水事件强度及重现期变化,有助于有效开展区域洪水风险管理、提高洪水资源的利用价值。     

基于MODIS影像的色林错湖面积变化及成因

利用2002—2009年EOS／MODIS卫星遥感资料和气温、地表温度气象资料,对色林错湖面积变化进行分析,并探讨了其成因。结果表明：西藏那曲地区色林错湖（包括雅根错湖）面积在近8a呈显著的扩大趋势,从2002年的1955．49km^2增至2009年的2197．46km^2,8a内增长了241．97km^2,现已超过纳木错湖面积,成为西藏第一大咸水湖。气温、地表温度升高导致冰雪融化和冻土层变浅是湖泊上涨的主要原因。通过研究证明了EOS/MODIS资料在研究湖泊变化中具有较好的指示作用。     

2022年2月中下旬桂北一次低温雨雪天气过程成因分析

本文利用观测资料、广西中尺度自动站资料及FNL资料,分析了2022年2月中下旬影响桂北的一次低温雨雪冰冻天气。分析表明：（1）过程期间中高纬为两槽一脊型,乌拉尔山高压脊强盛发展,东移缓慢;脊前的强冷空气与南支槽前的西南暖湿气流在华南交汇为此次低温雨雪天气的产生提供了有利的环流形势。此次过程产生的重要原因是低层强锋区稳定维持。（2）从降雨转为雨夹雪,温度垂直结构,逆温层的高度、厚度及强度、0度层的高度,近地面融化层的厚度、地面温度都有显著变化。（3）持续的中低层水汽输送和辐合利于冰冻雨雪天气的发生及维持（4）湿层厚度的变化对雨雪相态的转化有一定的指示意义。     

Influences of local weather, large-scale climatic drivers, and the ca. 11 year solar cycle on lake ice breakup dates; 1905–2004

We investigate the temporal patterns in inter-annual variability in ice breakup dates for Lakes Mendota and Monona, Wisconsin, between 1905 and 2004. We analyze the contributions of long-term trends attributed to climate change, local weather, indices of sunspots, and large-scale climatic drivers, such as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and El Niňo Southern Ocean Index (ENSO) on time series of lake-ice breakup. The relative importance of the aforementioned explanatory variables was assessed using linear regression and variation partitioning models accounting for cyclic temporal dynamics as represented by Moran Eigenvector Maps (MEM). Model results explain an average of 58 % of the variation in ice breakup dates. A combination of the long-term linear trends, rain and snowfall in the month prior to breakup, air temperature in the winter prior to breakup, cyclic dynamics associated with sunspot numbers, ENSO, and for Lake Mendota, NAO, all significantly influence the timing of ice breakup. Significant cycle lengths were 3.5, 9, 11, and 50 years. Despite their proximity, Lakes Mendota and Monona exhibit differences in how and which explanatory variables were incorporated into the models. Our results indicate that lake ice dynamics are complex in both lakes and multiple interacting processes explain the residuals around the linear warming trends that characterize lake ice records.