郑州“7·20”极端暴雨过程中水汽和高低空急流作用机制的数值模拟

针对郑州“7·20”特大暴雨过程,使用CMA-MESO区域模式对此次极端强降水过程中水汽与高低空急流的影响进行了数值试验分析。结果表明,此次暴雨过程较为成功地被中尺度模式模拟再现;暴雨过程中水汽来源主要为台风“烟花”北侧的东南急流携带的来自西太平洋与印度洋的水汽以及台风“查帕卡”北侧东南气流携带的来自南海的水汽;降水及水汽输送对水汽含量十分敏感,水汽含量微小的变化便会使郑州上空气流辐合区强度减弱,水汽累积减少,降水范围向河南北部缩小,降水强度大幅度减弱;低空急流对应的气流辐合区是郑州上空出现强垂直上升运动中心的主要机制,低空急流减弱后,水汽辐合减弱,降水减少,降水中心位置偏西南,高空急流对降水的影响与低空急流相比较小。     

全球稳定增温1.5℃下北非夏季风降水的响应及其机理

利用第六次国际耦合模式比较计划(CMIP6)模式模拟结果,研究了21世纪末全球稳定增温1.5 ℃下北非夏季风降水的变化及机理。结果表明,全球稳定增温1.5 ℃较1985—2014年北非夏季风降水将增加0.26 mm/d,区域降水敏感度为4.8 ％/℃,且季风区北部降水增幅大于南部。基于水汽收支诊断发现热力项对季风区总降水增加作用明显,动力项对降水空间变化起重要作用。进一步分析当地水汽条件及相应环流场发现:在热力上,相对于1985—2014年,稳定增温1.5 ℃加强了北非地区表面温度及低层水汽输送,有利于当地维持更高的大气可降水量。在动力上,稳定增温1.5 ℃下显著的撒哈拉沙漠增温加大了海陆温度梯度,增强了对流层低层季风环流,同时非洲东风急流北移,使得季风区北部低层气流辐合加强,而高层热带东风急流减弱会导致季风区高层辐散运动减弱。总的来说,热力项增加了整个季风区降水,而动力项增强了季风区北部降水,减弱南部降水,主导了降水变化的空间格局。     

夏季青藏高原地区水汽收支的初步模拟分析

采用中尺度模式WRF对夏季青藏高原地区降水进行了长达37天的积云可分辨模拟试验,在模式较好再现了夏季青藏高原降水的空间分布和日变化特征的基础上,利用高时空分辨率模拟结果进行了该地区水汽收支分析。结果表明:夏季青藏高原的降水主要来自水汽的辐合,辐合集中在低层,与青藏高原南部的夜间低空急流密切相关,具有显著的日变化特征;水汽收支方程中的垂直输送项起着将水汽从低层向中高层输送的重要作用,水汽局部变化项则很小,可以忽略;夏季青藏高原的蒸发主要集中在正午前后的6 h内,且蒸发量约为降水量的1/2,表明区域水汽再循环的重要性。     

台风“玲玲”对黑龙江暴雨影响分析

选取2019年9月7-8日NCEP/NCAR(1°×1°)再分析资料,分析了降水实况、卫星云图、环流形势、物理量场。结果表明:此次暴雨过程主要受台风登陆后减弱的热带风暴影响,副热带高压的维持为水汽的输送与台风的北进起到了促进作用,台风外围水汽成为此次降水的主要水汽来源,高低空急流耦合加强了动力条件,暴雨落区与高空急流的右侧、低空急流的左侧、垂直运动强上升区及水汽通量散度辐合区有较高的吻合度。     

20km高分辨率全球模式对青藏高原夏季降水变化的预估

使用日本气象研究所(Meteorological Research Institute,MRI)大气环流模式在20 km分辨率下的国际大气模式比较计划(Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project,AMIP)试验结果以及A1B温室气体排放情景下(简称A1B情景)的预估试验数据,预估了青藏高原夏季(6—8月)降水的变化,并讨论了降水变化的可能原因。在A1B情景下,青藏高原夏季降水量显著增加,中心位于青藏高原东南部,主要归因于来自印度洋和孟加拉湾的西南水汽,经90°E—100°E附近进入高原的水汽输送显著增加。同时,整个青藏高原夏季强降水出现概率增加,降水频率南部减少,北部增加。高原南部(北部)降水频率的减少(增加)是因为该地区降水强度的增加速率快(慢)于降水量的增加速率。高分辨率MRI模式预估的青藏高原夏季降水变化与较低分辨率的耦合模式预估结果基本一致,但提供了更详细的局地变化信息。     

双低空急流影响下华南初夏降水日变化的时空分布特征

利用2010—2016年5—6月ERA5逐小时再分析数据集和国家气象信息中心逐小时降水量融合产品,对影响华南地区的低空急流事件进行筛选和分类,并分析天气系统相关的低空急流（Synoptic-system-related Low-Level Jet,SLLJ）和边界层急流（Boundary Layer Jet,BLJ）的日变化及其影响下的华南降水日变化的时空分布特征。结果表明,BLJ和SLLJ在白天减弱、夜间增强,并在凌晨达到峰值,其日变化主要与边界层惯性振荡引起的非地转风的顺时针旋转有关。双急流日华南地区降水量显著增加,且降水日变化有明显的区域差异,这与双急流的演变和配置密切相关。广西中北部主要为SLLJ左前方发生的夜间山区降水,且降水量仅有凌晨的单峰。广西沿海和广东地区存在早晨和午后两个峰值,BLJ出口区辐合和SLLJ入口区辐散的维持有利于降水频率的增大,从而导致午后峰值的出现,而早晨的峰值除了受双急流有利配置的影响外,主要归因于早晨降水强度的增加。     

近60年索马里急流越赤道水汽输送的变化特征及对中国初夏降水的影响

利用近60年(1951-2010年)的NCEP/NCAR再分析风、比湿、地面气压及降水资料,建立了一个越赤道水汽输送强度指数来表征索马里急流的强度,并从季节、年际、年代际变化及突变等不同侧面出发,比较系统地分析了索马里急流越赤道水汽输送强度的变化特征,并进一步分析了它与我国初夏降水异常的关系及这种关系随时间的年代际变化特点.分析结果表明:进入20世纪90年代之后,索马里急流风速强度有明显的减弱趋势,而水汽输送强度无显著变化;与索马里急流风速强度相比,水汽输送强度与我国初夏6月降水量的关系更为密切.索马里急流弱年对应长江以北的华北地区初夏降水偏少,反之亦然.此外,索马里水汽输送对我国北方初夏降水的影响在1982年后明显加强.     

地形高度对暴雨过程的热力和水汽条件影响数值模拟试验

利用NCEP再分析资料和WRF模式,对2014年8月31日重庆市云阳县特大暴雨进行形势分析和数值模拟,针对重庆地区地形设计了三组地形敏感性试验,分析地形改变对暴雨过程热力条件和水汽条件的影响。结果表明:低纬地区不稳定能量大量积聚并向北传播,在地形和急流的垂直扰动触发下,对流强烈发展;850 h Pa低空急流将来自南海的水汽输送至重庆地区,水汽低层辐合、高层辐散形成的抽吸作用引发水汽的垂直输送。大巴山高度降低后,不稳定厚度减小导致对流强度明显降低;阻挡作用降低不利于水汽在暴雨区的汇聚;水汽辐合、辐散的强度降低导致水汽的垂直输送强度明显减弱。齐岳山高度降低后,低空急流所引起的垂直扰动位置偏南导致高能舌和对流活动位置偏南;水汽输送中心南压,水汽通道变宽导致暴雨区上空水汽输送减弱;低空急流位置偏南导致其所引起的水汽辐合时间偏晚。     

气候变化对水文循环的影响

水文循环是地球上海洋、陆地和大气之间相互作用中最活跃且最重要的枢纽,受气候变化影响最为显著。本文回顾了气候变化对全球水文循环的影响,并对20世纪60年代以来中国降水、蒸散发、地表径流及大气水汽含量等陆地水文循环要素变化进行了评估。气候变暖使得全球水文循环加强,观测数据表明自1970年以来,全球对流层和地表水汽含量呈现增加趋势,但由于监测网络在空间覆盖和时间响应的限制,热带水汽增加与环流减弱之间相互影响,使得气候变化对区域水文循环的影响不确定性较大。在全球气候变化背景下,中国水文循环符合全球水循环变化的特征,又表现出更为复杂的区域特征,各个流域间空间差异增大。大气水汽含量在80年代后呈现上升的趋势;60年代以来,中国降水平均态虽然无明显变化但空间差异显著增加,实际蒸散发平均值微弱增加,空间差异增大,地表径流空间差异增大,某些流域呈现减少趋势。21世纪以来,由蒸散发再凝结形成的降水量增加,大气内循环活跃程度加大。     

气候模式对东北三省降水模拟能力评估及预估

利用CMIP 5全球气候模式、RegCM 4区域气候模式数据集和中国东北三省162个气象站降水观测资料,评估了CMIP 5和RegCM 4模式对中国东北三省降水的模拟能力,并对RCP 4.5和RCP 8.5温室气体排放情景下东北三省未来降水的变化进行了预估。结果表明:CMIP 5和RegCM 4模式均能较好地模拟东北三省年及四季降水量的变化,可再现东北三省降水量由东南向西向北递减的空间分布形势,但模拟的降水中心偏北,模拟的降水强度偏强;两个模式对夏季降水的模拟优于冬季,对冬季降水的模拟存在较大偏差。总体而言,全球气候模式CMIP 5对东北三省降水的模拟结果较好。对东北三省降水量的预估表明,在RCP 4.5和RCP 8.5情景下,全球气候模式CMIP 5预估东北三省年和四季降水量均呈不同程度的增加,其中对冬季降水量预估的偏差百分率增幅最大。在RCP 8.5情景下,东北三省降水量增幅显著,预估未来东北三省降水增加量基本呈由南向北逐步递减的分布,降水偏差百分率基本呈由西南向东北递减的分布。在RCP 4.5情景下,东北三省降水量增幅较小,预估未来东北三省降水量总体呈由东南向西北递减的分布,降水偏差百分率基本呈由西向东递减的分布。     

Near future (2016-40) summer precipitation changes over China as projected by a regional climate model (RCM) under the RCP8.5 emissions scenario: Comparison between RCM downscaling and the driving GCM

Multi-decadal high resolution simulations over the CORDEX East Asia domain were performed with the regional climate model RegCM3 nested within the Flexible Global Ocean-Atmosphere-Land System model, Grid-point Version 2 (FGOALS-g2). Two sets of simulations were conducted at the resolution of 50 km, one for present day (1980–2005) and another for near-future climate (2015–40) under the Representative Concentration Pathways 8.5 (RCP8.5) scenario. Results show that RegCM3 adds value with respect to FGOALS-g2 in simulating the spatial patterns of summer total and extreme precipitation over China for present day climate. The major deficiency is that RegCM3 underestimates both total and extreme precipitation over the Yangtze River valley. The potential changes in total and extreme precipitation over China in summer under the RCP8.5 scenario were analyzed. Both RegCM3 and FGOALS-g2 results show that total and extreme precipitation tend to increase over northeastern China and the Tibetan Plateau, but tend to decrease over southeastern China. In both RegCM3 and FGOALS-g2, the change in extreme precipitation is weaker than that for total precipitation. RegCM3 projects much stronger amplitude of total and extreme precipitation changes and provides more regional-scale features than FGOALS-g2. A large uncertainty is found over the Yangtze River valley, where RegCM3 and FGOALS-g2 project opposite signs in terms of precipitation changes. The projected change of vertically integrated water vapor flux convergence generally follows the changes in total and extreme precipitation in both RegCM3 and FGOALS-g2, while the amplitude of change is stronger in RegCM3. Results suggest that the spatial pattern of projected precipitation changes may be more affected by the changes in water vapor flux convergence, rather than moisture content itself.     

FGOALS-g2模式模拟和预估的全球季风区极端降水及其变化

利用LASG/IAP（中国科学院大气物理研究所大气科学和地球流体力学数值模拟国家重点实验室）全球耦合模式FGOALS-g2,评估了其对全球季风区极端气候指标的模拟能力,并讨论了RCP8.5排放情景下21世纪季风区极端气候指标的变化特征。总体而言,模式对季风区总降水和极端气候指标1997～2014年气候态和年际变率的空间分布均具有一定的模拟能力。偏差主要表现在模式低估了亚洲季风强降水中心,低估了中雨（10～20 mm d-1）和大雨（20～50 mm d-1）的频率而高估了暴雨（>50 mm d-1）频率。在RCP8.5排放情景下,由于可降水量的增加,模式预估的全球季风区极端降水、降水总量和降水强度将持续增加。到2076～2095年,极端降水和降水强度在北美季风区增加最显著（约22%和17%）,降水总量在澳大利亚增加最显著（约37%）。然而,FGOALS-g2对全球季风区平均的日降水量低于1 mm的连续最大天数（CDD）的预估变化不显著,这是由于预估的CDD在陆地季风区将增加,而在海洋季风区将减少。对各子季风区的分析显示,CDD在南美季风区变长最显著,达到30%,在澳洲季风区变短最显著,达到40%,这与两季风区日降水量低于1 mm的降水事件发生频率变化不同有关。     

Influence of the Andes Mountains on South American moisture transport, convection, and precipitation

Mountain ranges are known to have a first-order control on mid-latitude climate, but previous studies have shown that the Andes have little effect on the large-scale circulation over South America. We use a limited-domain general circulation model (RegCM3) to evaluate the effect of the Andes on regional-scale atmospheric dynamics and precipitation. We present experiments in which Andean heights are specified at 250 m, and 25, 50, 75, and 100% of their modern values. Our experiments indicate that the Andes have a significant influence on moisture transport between the Amazon Basin and the central Andes, deep convective processes, and precipitation over much of South America through mechanical forcing of the South American low-level jet (LLJ) and topographic blocking of westerly flow from the Pacific Ocean. When the Andes are absent, the LLJ is absent and moisture transport over the central Andes is mainly northeastward. As a result, deep convection is suppressed and precipitation is low along the Andes. Above 50% of the modern elevation, a southward flowing LLJ develops along the eastern Andean flanks and transports moisture from the tropics to the subtropics. Moisture drawn from the Amazon Basin provides the latent energy required to drive convection and precipitation along the Andean front. Large northerly moisture flux and reduced low-level convergence over the Amazon Basin leads to a reduction in precipitation over much of the basin. Our model results are largely consistent with proxy evidence of Andean climate change, and have implications for the timing and rate of Andean surface uplift.     

气候系统模式FGOALS模拟的南亚夏季风：偏差和原因分析

本文通过与观测和再分析资料的对比,评估了LASG/IAP发展的气候系统模式FGOALS的两个版本FGOALS-g2和FGOALS-s2对南亚夏季风的气候态和年际变率的模拟能力,并使用水汽收支方程诊断,研究了造成降水模拟偏差的原因。结果表明,两个模式夏季气候态降水均在陆地季风槽内偏少,印度半岛附近海域偏多,在降水年循环中表现为夏季北侧辐合带北推范围不足。FGOALS-g2中赤道印度洋"东西型"海温偏差导致模拟的东赤道印度洋海上辐合带偏弱,而FGOALS-s2中印度洋"南北型"海温偏差导致模拟的海上辐合带偏向西南。水汽收支分析表明,两个模式中气候态夏季风降水的模拟偏差主要来自于整层积分的水汽通量,尤其是垂直动力平流项的模拟偏差。一方面,夏季阿拉伯海和孟加拉湾的海温偏冷而赤道西印度洋海温偏暖,造成向印度半岛的水汽输送偏少;另一方面,对流层温度偏冷,冷中心位于印度半岛北部对流层上层,同时季风槽内总云量偏少,云长波辐射效应偏弱,对流层经向温度梯度偏弱以及大气湿静力稳定度偏强引起的下沉异常造成陆地季风槽内降水偏少。在年际变率上,观测中南亚夏季风环流和降水指数与Ni?o3.4指数存在负相关关系,但FGOALS两个版本模式均存在较大偏差。两个模式中与ENSO暖事件相关的沃克环流异常下沉支和对应的负降水异常西移至赤道以南的热带中西印度洋,沿赤道非对称的加热异常令两个模式中越赤道环流季风增强,导致印度半岛南部产生正降水异常。ENSO相关的沃克环流异常下沉支及其对应的负降水异常偏西与两个模式对热带南印度洋气候态降水的模拟偏差有关。研究结果表明,若要提高FGOALS两个版本模式对南亚夏季风气候态模拟技巧,需减小耦合模式对印度洋海温、对流层温度及云的模拟偏差;若要提高南亚夏季风和ENSO相关性模拟技巧需要提高模式对热带印度洋气候态降水以及与ENSO相关的环流异常的模拟能力。     

RegCM3 CORDEX东亚试验模拟和预估的中国夏季温度变化

按照CORDEX (COordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment) 计划试验设计要求,利用中国科学院大气物理研究所全球模式FGOALS-g2的数据驱动区域气候模式RegCM3,针对1986~2005年历史气候和2010~2065年RCP8.5排放情景下气候预估,对东亚地区进行了50 km动力降尺度模拟。首先评估了RegCM3模式及驱动模式FGOALS-g2对1986~2005年夏季中国地表气温和极端高温事件的模拟能力,然后比较了两个模式在RCP8.5排放情景下对中国夏季地表气温和极端高温事件预估的变化,重点分析了动力降尺度结果的优势。结果表明,两个模式均能合理再现夏季中国地表气温和极端高温事件的大尺度气候态特征。相对于全球模式,区域模式由于水平分辨率较高,能在刻画地表气温分布的细节上体现出优势。在RCP8.5排放情景下,两个模式预估的三个地表气温指标均显著升高,到21世纪中期 (2046~2065年),两个模式预估的全国平均地表气温增幅相当,气温日较差变化均较小。在FGOALS-g2模式预估中,到21世纪中期,三个地表气温指标的增幅相当,气温日较差没有明显变化,东北和青藏高原的地表气温增幅最大。在RegCM3模式预估中,到21世纪中期,中国大部分地区日最高气温 (Tmax) 增幅大于日最低气温 (Tmin) 增幅,气温日较差增加;而在青藏高原西部,Tmax的增幅较Tmin偏低,气温日较差减小。在RCP8.5排放情景下,两个模式预估的极端高温事件到21世纪中期也显著增加,RegCM3模式预估的极端高温事件全国平均增幅略高于FGOALS-g2模式的预估。在两个模式的预估中,日最高气温最大值 (TXx)、暖昼指数 (TX90p) 和持续暖期指数 (WSDI) 变化的空间分布特征与Tmax相似;和当代相比TX90p增加了60%以上,而WSDI增加了一倍以上。     

Simulation of paleoclimate over East Asia at 6 ka BP and 21 ka BP by a regional climate model

Using a regional climate model with detailed land surface processes (RegCM2), East Asian monsoon climates at 6 ka BP and 21 ka BP are simulated by prescribing vegetation and employing paleovegetation respectively in order to examine land surface effects on East Asian climate system and the potential mechanisms for climate change. The RegCM2 with a 120 × 120 km² resolution has simulated the enlargement of the seasonal cycle of insolation, the temperature rising the whole year, and the reduction of perpetual snow in high latitudes at 6 ka BP. The simulation shows the East Asian summer monsoon strengthening, precipitation and P–E increasing, and the monsoon rain belt shifting westwards and northwards. Effect of paleovegetation included in the modeling reduced surface albedo and caused an increase in the winter temperature, which led to weakening of the winter continental cold anticyclone over China. The results make the seasonal characteristics of simulated temperature changes in better agreement with the geological records, and are an improvement over previous simulations of Paleoclimate Modeling Intercomparison Project (PMIP). The RegCM2 simulated the 21 ka BP climate with lowered temperature throughout the year, and with precipitation reduced in most areas of East Asia (but increased in both the Tibetan Plateau and Central Asia). Low temperature over East Asia led to the strengthening of the East Asian winter monsoon and the shrinking of the summer monsoon. The effect of paleovegetation included in the experiment has enlarged the glacial climate influence in East Asia, which is closer to geological data than the PMIP simulations directly driven by insolation, glaciation and low CO₂ concentration.     

CSIRO Mk3.6.0模式及其驱动下RegCM4.4模式对中国气候变化的预估

使用区域气候模式RegCM4.4,对全球模式CSIRO-Mk3.6.0在RCP4.5情景下的气候变化试验结果（1950-2100年）在东亚地区进行25 km动力降尺度试验,比较了CSIRO-Mk3.6.0和RegCM4.4预估中国地区的21世纪气候变化。结果表明,两个模式预估未来中国地区气温持续升高,升温幅度具有区域性特征,RegCM4.4预估区域平均升温幅度低于CSIRO-Mk3.6.0,但二者年际波动基本一致。两个模式预估未来降水在中国西部以持续增加为主,东部则表现出较大的不一致性,预估区域平均年降水量变化不大,呈现冬季明显增加,夏季微弱减少的特点。此外,为了解区域气候模式对中国降水预估的不确定性,对本研究和以往RegCM3使用相同分辨率模拟得到的未来降水预估进行了对比,两个区域模式预估中国西部大部分地区未来降水一致性增加,东部存在明显不一致（冬季中、高纬除外）。     

An assessment of future dryness over Korea based on the ECHAM5-RegCM3 model chain under A1B emission scenario

We analyze the future dryness over Korea based on the projected temperature and precipitation. For fine-scale climate information, the ECHAM5/MPI-OM A1B simulation has been dynamically downscaled using the RegCM3 double-nested system. A 130-year long-term climatology (1971?C2100) from the mother domain (East Asia: 60 km) and nested domain (South Korea: 20 km) is discussed. Based on the intercomparison with CMIP3 participant models, the ECHAM5/MPI-OM provides climatic change information over the East Asia that is not markedly different from other projections. However, the reduction of summer precipitation over Korea is rather different with ensemble mean of CMIP3 participant models. The downscaled results generally follow the behavior of ECHAM5/MPIOM, but substantial fine-scale details are found in the spatial pattern and the change signals become more enhanced at the local scale. In the future projection, significant warming is found regardless of the season and region while the change in precipitation shows a mixed feature with both increasing and decreasing patterns. The increase of temperature enhances the evapotranspiration, and hence the actual water stress becomes more pronounced in the warmer climate. This is related to the negative trends of the self-calibrating Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) to measure the drought condition in Korea. Although PDSI is overall associated with the precipitation variation, its long-term trend tends to be modulated by the temperature trend. It is confirmed that the detrended temperature is shown to mask the decreasing tendency of the PDSI. The result indicates that without an increase in precipitation appropriate for atmospheric moisture demand, future dryness is a more likely condition under global warming.     

Hydro-climatic effects of future land-cover/land-use change in montane mainland southeast Asia

Regional climate model simulations with RegCM3 were performed to investigate how future land-cover/land-use (LCLU) change in Montane Mainland Southeast Asia (MMSEA) could affect regional climate. Simulation land-surface parameterizations included present day and plausible 2050 land-covers, as well as two extreme deforestation simulations. In the simulations, the original land cover map of RegCM3, based on AVHRR 1992–93 observations, was replaced with one obtained from MODIS 2001 observations; and the model was set to work at two different spatial resolutions using the sub-grid feature of the land surface model: 27.79 km for the atmosphere and 9.26 km for the land surface. During validation, modeled precipitation closely matched observed precipitation over southern China, but underestimated precipitation in the Indochina Peninsula. The plausible 2050 LCLU simulation predicted little change in regional climate. However, an extreme irrigated crop parameterization caused precipitation to increase slightly in the Indochina Peninsula, decrease substantially in southeastern China, and increase significantly in the South China Sea. The extreme short-grass parameterization caused substantial precipitation decreases in MMSEA, but few changes elsewhere. These simulations indicate in order for significant climatological changes to occur, substantially more LCLU conversion is required than the 16 % change we incorporated into the plausible 2050 land-cover scenario.     

Climate change impact on precipitation for the Amazon and La Plata basins

We analyze the local and remote impacts of climate change on the hydroclimate of the Amazon and La Plata basins of South America (SA) in an ensemble of four 21st century projections (1970–2100, RCP8.5 scenario) with the regional climate model RegCM4 driven by the HadGEM, GFDL and MPI global climate models (GCMs) over the SA CORDEX domain. Two RegCM4 configurations are used, one employing the CLM land surface and the Emanuel convective schemes, and one using the BATS land surface and Grell (over land) convection schemes. First, we find considerable sensitivity of the precipitation change signal to both the driving GCM and the RegCM4 physics schemes (with the latter even greater than the first), highlighting the pronounced uncertainty of regional projections over the region. However, some improvements in the simulation of the annual cycle of precipitation over the Amazon and La Plata basins is found when using RegCM4, and some consistent change signals across the experiments are found. One is a tendency towards an extension of the dry season over central SA deriving from a late onset and an early retreat of the SA monsoon. The second is a dipolar response consisting of reduced precipitation over the broad Amazon and Central Brazil region and increased precipitation over the La Plata basin and central Argentina. An analysis of the relative influence on the change signal of local soil-moisture feedbacks and remote effects of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) over the Niño 3.4 region indicates that the former is prevalent over the Amazon basin while the latter dominates over the La Plata Basin. Also, the soil moisture feedback has a larger role in RegCM4 than in the GCMs.