Changes in Precipitation From North Atlantic Tropical Cyclones Under RCP Scenarios in the Variable-Resolution Community Atmosphere Model

Stansfield, Alyssa M.; Reed, Kevin A.; Zarzycki, Colin M.

doi:10.1029/2019gl086930

Changes in Precipitation From North Atlantic Tropical Cyclones Under RCP Scenarios in the Variable-Resolution Community Atmosphere Model

Journal Article · Sat May 30 04:00:00 EDT 2020 · Geophysical Research Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2019gl086930· OSTI ID:1803079

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Stony Brook University, NY (United States); OSTI
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA (United States)

Decreasing climate models' grid spacing improves the representation of tropical cyclones at decadal time scales. In this study, a variable-resolution (VR) version of the Community Atmosphere Model 5 (CAM5-VR) is utilized to study North Atlantic tropical cyclone climatology in ensemble historical climate simulations and under two Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) projections (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). Basin-wide tropical cyclone counts decrease in the RCP simulations, although landfalling storm counts do not show as straightforward of a pattern, especially when focusing on regional changes. Lifetime maximum intensity metrics suggest that tropical cyclones increase in strength in the RCP ensembles. However, despite increases in tropical cyclone-related precipitation rates and the amount of precipitation produced per storm with warming, the annual average Rx5day from tropical cyclones over the eastern United States decreases due to less landfalling storms. This work is part of a continued effort to quantify how tropical cyclone-induced hazards may change in future climates.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: University of California, Davis, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0016605; AC02-05CH11231

OSTI ID:: 1803079

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1633391

Journal Information:: Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 47; ISSN 0094-8276

Publisher:: American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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