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Observed trends in the Great Plains low‐level jet and associated precipitation changes in relation to recent droughts
Author(s) -
Barandiaran Daniel,
Wang ShihYu,
Hilburn Kyle
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2013gl058296
Subject(s) - precipitation , climatology , context (archaeology) , period (music) , zonal and meridional , jet stream , climate change , geology , environmental science , physical geography , geography , jet (fluid) , oceanography , meteorology , physics , thermodynamics , paleontology , acoustics
Recent drought over the Great Plains has had significant impacts on agriculture and the economy, highlighting the need for better understanding of any ongoing changes in the regional hydroclimate. Trends in the Great Plains low‐level jet (GPLLJ) during the months April–June and associated precipitation are analyzed using the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) for the period 1979–2012. Linear trends computed for meridional winds and precipitation intensity, frequency, and total across the Great Plains show that (1) the GPLLJ has strengthened and expanded northward and (2) precipitation has decreased substantially in the Southern Plains while increasing in the Northern Plains. Particularly in May, the rainy season in the Oklahoma‐Texas region, precipitation has migrated northward in correspondence to the shifted northern edge of the GPLLJ, leading to near 50% declines in precipitation since 1979. These observed changes are discussed in the context of recent droughts and projected climate for the region.