Regional impact of the Armenian highland as an elevated heat source: ERA-Interim reanalysis and observations

An assessment of observed and projected temperature changes in Armenia

“…In particular, the selected GCMs should cover as much as possible the range of different responses of greenhouse gas (GHG) forcing by the full ensemble of available GCMs. The spatial resolution of models is considered as a very important issue for the simulation of temperature, precipitation, wind and other meteorological elements over the study region characterized by mountain topography as was shown both in this and previous works (Gevorgyan 2012;Gevorgyan and Melkonyan 2014;Elguindi et al 2011). Apart from annual and seasonal temperature changes, it is also important to focus on the change in precipitation, extreme temperatures and precipitation on a daily scale.…”

“…Meleshko and Govorkova (2013) and Sporyshev and Govorkova (2013) employed 34 models out of CMIP5 to investigate model-performance error over the Northern Hemisphere and Russia quantified by the root-mean-square error (RMSE) and correlation coefficient, and CCSM4 was among the ten successful models in terms of temperature and precipitation representation over the mentioned areas. Changes in mean monthly 2-m maximum temperature from the CCSM4 model for July-August months have been analysed over the Armenian Highland and neighbouring regions by Gevorgyan and Melkonyan (2014) recently to assess the possible influence of regional temperature contrasts on heat-induced circulations under future climate conditions.…”

“…Results from Sharif (2015) indicate that projected temperature departures in Saudi Arabia are likely to exceed 3.5 and 5.5°C for the mid and end of the twenty-first century, respectively, under A2 scenario. On the other hand, the projected temperatures from CCSM4 model for the July-August months showed temperature increase relative to ERA-Interim reanalysis data over most of the study region by more than 2.0 and 2.5°C for the mid and end of the twenty-first century, respectively, under representative concentration pathways(RCP)4.5 scenario (Gevorgyan and Melkonyan 2014).…”

A Case Study of Low‐Level Jets in Yerevan Simulated by the WRF Model

“…The study area presented in Figure includes the mountain ranges and intermountain plateaus of the Armenian Highland covering the western and central parts of the region, the Greater Caucasus range is extending from northwest to southeast (northern to Armenia), and the low elevated Kura‐Araks plain is in the east. A few recent studies investigated the intricate and intriguing mesoscale plain‐plateau circulation arising over the Armenian Highland and South Caucasus region as well as local wind systems over Armenia induced by local terrain channeling effects (Gevorgyan, ; Gevorgyan & Melkonyan, ). Gevorgyan and Melkonyan () demonstrated that during summer seasons (July–August) the mountain massifs and plateaus strongly heat air within a daytime planetary boundary layer (PBL) leading to formation of significant horizontal temperature gradients in the lower and middle troposphere between the Armenian Highland and Kura‐Araks plain.…”

“…A few recent studies investigated the intricate and intriguing mesoscale plain‐plateau circulation arising over the Armenian Highland and South Caucasus region as well as local wind systems over Armenia induced by local terrain channeling effects (Gevorgyan, ; Gevorgyan & Melkonyan, ). Gevorgyan and Melkonyan () demonstrated that during summer seasons (July–August) the mountain massifs and plateaus strongly heat air within a daytime planetary boundary layer (PBL) leading to formation of significant horizontal temperature gradients in the lower and middle troposphere between the Armenian Highland and Kura‐Araks plain. Thus, significant baroclinicity induces mountain‐valley circulations over the study region under clear‐sky conditions.…”