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Changes in precipitation characteristics over North America for doubled CO 2
Author(s) -
Chen Ming,
Mao Huiting,
Talbot Robert,
Pollard David
Publication year - 2005
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 - 10.1029/2005gl024535
Subject(s) - precipitation , climatology , environmental science , flooding (psychology) , atmospheric sciences , climate change , climate model , meteorology , geology , geography , oceanography , psychology , psychotherapist
We conducted two 10‐year climate simulations for North America that correspond to present‐day CO 2 (1991–1999) and future conditions with doubled CO 2 (2090–2099). Our study focused on changes in precipitation characteristics using comparisons of model simulations with observations from recent decades exhibiting a predominance of cool and warm periods. The predicted trends were strikingly similar to observations and suggest that heavy precipitation events (>32 mm day −1 ) will become more prevalent in the U.S. under increased CO 2 . Moreover, precipitation in the future should become more episodic and convectively driven than at present with larger daily amounts. Our results point to an increased prevalence of drying and flooding conditions across the U.S. at the end of the 21st century.