Improved simulation of extreme precipitation in a high‐resolution atmosphere model

Kopparla, Pushkar; Fischer, Erich M.; Hannay, Cécile; Knutti, Reto

doi:10.1002/2013gl057866

Cited by 105 publications

(100 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Wehner et al, 2010;Kopparla et al, 2013;Prein et al, 2013;Tripathi and Dominguez, 2013). However, several of these studies compare the results on the native grid of each model with observations at resolutions that are often higher than in any of the model configurations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Connecting spatial and temporal scales of tropical precipitation in observations and the MetUM-GA6

2017

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Abstract. This study analyses tropical rainfall variability (on a range of temporal and spatial scales) in a set of parallel Met Office Unified Model (MetUM) simulations at a range of horizontal resolutions, which are compared with two satellitederived rainfall datasets. We focus on the shorter scales, i.e. from the native grid and time step of the model through subdaily to seasonal, since previous studies have paid relatively little attention to sub-daily rainfall variability and how this feeds through to longer scales. We find that the behaviour of the deep convection parametrization in this model on the native grid and time step is largely independent of the grid-box size and time step length over which it operates. There is also little difference in the rainfall variability on larger/longer spatial/temporal scales. Tropical convection in the model on the native grid/time step is spatially and temporally intermittent, producing very large rainfall amounts interspersed with grid boxes/time steps of little or no rain. In contrast, switching off the deep convection parametrization, albeit at an unrealistic resolution for resolving tropical convection, results in very persistent (for limited periods), but very sporadic, rainfall. In both cases, spatial and temporal averaging smoothes out this intermittency. On the ∼ 100 km scale, for oceanic regions, the spectra of 3-hourly and daily mean rainfall in the configurations with parametrized convection agree fairly well with those from satellite-derived rainfall estimates, while at ∼ 10-day timescales the averages are overestimated, indicating a lack of intra-seasonal variability. Over tropical land the results are more varied, but the model often underestimates the daily mean rainfall (partly as a result of a poor diurnal cycle) but still lacks variability on intra-seasonal timescales. Ultimately, such work will shed light on how uncertainties in modelling small-/short-scale processes relate to uncertainty in climate change projections of rainfall distribution and variability, with a view to reducing such uncertainty through improved modelling of small-/short-scale processes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Connecting spatial and temporal scales of tropical precipitation in observations and the MetUM-GA6

2017

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“…To define daily precipitation extremes, we used the percentile approach (Diffenbaugh et al 2005;Malik et al 2012;Kopparla et al 2013;Singh et al 2013). In particular, for a percentile threshold of p, we find the pth percentile of the distribution of daily rainfall over all the grids over the Asian domain.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sensitivity experiments with the Community Earth System Model (CESM) by altering horizontal grid resolution demonstrated reduced biases at the highest resolution (0.23° × 0.31°) over Europe, the USA, and Australia (Kopparla et al 2013). Furthermore, the fraction of large-scale precipitation was seen to be larger at high-resolution (Bacmeister et al 2013;Kopparla et al 2013). Volosciuk et al (2015) found that the effects of averaging and representation of physical processes in ECHAM5 model at different horizontal resolutions vary with region and season.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Through its influence on resolved dynamics, horizontal grid resolution strongly affects the distribution of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and the amount of tropical precipitation (Abiodun et al 2008). Sensitivity experiments with the Community Earth System Model (CESM) by altering horizontal grid resolution demonstrated reduced biases at the highest resolution (0.23° × 0.31°) over Europe, the USA, and Australia (Kopparla et al 2013). Furthermore, the fraction of large-scale precipitation was seen to be larger at high-resolution (Bacmeister et al 2013;Kopparla et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, to date, studies have only demonstrated the effects of high-resolution on rainfall through single climate model, but not various models. Kopparla et al 2013;Schiemann et al 2014;Volosciuk et al 2015;Wehner et al 2010;Yang et al 2014). Furthermore, these studies have mainly considered extreme rainfall over a global or continental (e.g., the USA) scale, but few have focused on the Asian monsoon region.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluation of precipitation extremes over the Asian domain: observation and modelling studies

et al. 2018

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In this study, a comparison in the precipitation extremes as exhibited by the seven reference datasets is made to ascertain whether the inferences based on these datasets agree or they differ. These seven datasets, roughly grouped in three categories i.e. rain-gauge based (APHRODITE, CPC-UNI), satellite-based (TRMM, GPCP1DD) and reanalysis based (ERA-Interim, MERRA, and JRA55), having a common data period 1998-2007 are considered. Focus is to examine precipitation extremes in the summer monsoon rainfall over South Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia. Measures of extreme precipitation include the percentile thresholds, frequency of extreme precipitation events and other quantities. Results reveal that the differences in displaying extremes among the datasets are small over South Asia and East Asia but large differences among the datasets are displayed over the Southeast Asian region including the maritime continent. Furthermore, precipitation data appear to be more consistent over East Asia among the seven datasets. Decadal trends in extreme precipitation are consistent with known results over South and East Asia. No trends in extreme precipitation events are exhibited over Southeast Asia. Outputs of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) simulation data are categorized as high, medium and lowresolution models. The regions displaying maximum intensity of extreme precipitation appear to be dependent on model resolution. High-resolution models simulate maximum intensity of extreme precipitation over the Indian sub-continent, medium-resolution models over northeast India and South China and the low-resolution models over Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand. In summary, there are differences in displaying extreme precipitation statistics among the seven datasets considered here and among the 29 CMIP5 model data outputs.

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The role of atmospheric rivers in anomalous snow accumulation in East Antarctica

Gorodetskaya

Tsukernik

Claes

et al. 2014

Geophysical Research Letters

276

327

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Recent, heavy snow accumulation events over Dronning Maud Land (DML), East Antarctica, contributed significantly to the Antarctic ice sheet surface mass balance (SMB). Here we combine in situ accumulation measurements and radar‐derived snowfall rates from Princess Elisabeth station (PE), located in the DML escarpment zone, along with the European Centre for Medium‐range Weather Forecasts Interim reanalysis to investigate moisture transport patterns responsible for these events. In particular, two high‐accumulation events in May 2009 and February 2011 showed an atmospheric river (AR) signature with enhanced integrated water vapor (IWV), concentrated in narrow long bands stretching from subtropical latitudes to the East Antarctic coast. Adapting IWV‐based AR threshold criteria for Antarctica (by accounting for the much colder and drier environment), we find that it was four and five ARs reaching the coastal DML that contributed 74–80% of the outstanding SMB during 2009 and 2011 at PE. Therefore, accounting for ARs is crucial for understanding East Antarctic SMB.

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Improved simulation of extreme precipitation in a high‐resolution atmosphere model

Cited by 105 publications

References 39 publications

Connecting spatial and temporal scales of tropical precipitation in observations and the MetUM-GA6

Connecting spatial and temporal scales of tropical precipitation in observations and the MetUM-GA6

Evaluation of precipitation extremes over the Asian domain: observation and modelling studies

The role of atmospheric rivers in anomalous snow accumulation in East Antarctica

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