Simulating the Pineapple Express in the half degree Community Climate System Model, CCSM4

Shields, Christine A.; Kiehl, Jeffrey T.

doi:10.1002/2016GL069476

Simulating the Pineapple Express in the half degree Community Climate System Model, CCSM4

Journal Article · Fri Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Geophysical Research Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069476· OSTI ID:1469328

Shields, Christine A. ^[1]; Kiehl, Jeffrey T. ^[2]

National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States); National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado
National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States)

Atmospheric rivers are recognized as major contributors to the poleward transport of water vapor. Upon reaching land, these phenomena also play a critical role in extreme precipitation and flooding events. The Pineapple Express (PE) is defined as an atmospheric river extending out of the deep tropics and reaching the west coast of North America. In this paper, Community Climate System Model (CCSM4) high-resolution ensemble simulations for the twentieth and 21st centuries are diagnosed to identify the PE. Analysis of the twentieth century simulations indicated that the CCSM4 accurately captures the spatial and temporal climatology of the PE. Analysis of the end 21st century simulations indicates a significant increase in storm duration and intensity of precipitation associated with landfall of the PE. Finally, only a modest increase in the number of atmospheric rivers of a few percent is projected for the end of 21st century.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Science Foundation (NSF) (United States); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER) (SC-23)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725; FC02-97ER62402

OSTI ID:: 1469328

Journal Information:: Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 43; ISSN 0094-8276

Publisher:: American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Global Climate Model Ensemble Approaches for Future Projections of Atmospheric Rivers Massoud, E. C.; Espinoza, V.; Guan, B. Earth's Future, Vol. 7, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1029/2019ef001249	journal	October 2019
Meridional Heat Transport During Atmospheric Rivers in High‐Resolution CESM Climate Projections Shields, Christine A.; Rosenbloom, Nan; Bates, Susan Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 46, Issue 24 https://doi.org/10.1029/2019gl085565	journal	December 2019
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The Atmospheric River Tracking Method Intercomparison Project (ARTMIP): Quantifying Uncertainties in Atmospheric River Climatology Rutz, Jonathan J.; Shields, Christine A.; Lora, Juan M. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Vol. 124, Issue 24 https://doi.org/10.1029/2019jd030936	journal	December 2019
Greenhouse- and orbital-forced climate extremes during the early Eocene Kiehl, Jeffrey T.; Shields, Christine A.; Snyder, Mark A. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, Vol. 376, Issue 2130 https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2017.0085	journal	September 2018
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