We analyze the ability of the NARCCAP ensemble of regional climate models to simulate extreme monthly precipitation and its supporting circulation for regions of North America, comparing 18 years of simulations driven by the NCEP-DOE reanalysis with observations. Analysis focuses the wettest 10% of months during the cold half of the year (October-March), when we assume that resolved synoptic circulation governs precipitation. For a coastal California region, the models replicate well the monthly frequency of extremes, the amount of extreme precipitation and the 500 hPa circulation anomaly associated with the extremes. For an Upper Mississippi River Basin region, the models agree with observations in both monthly frequency and magnitude, though not as closely as for coastal California. In addition, simulated circulation anomalies for extreme months are similar to those in observations. Model success appears to result in part from the substantial seasonal variation of extremes, which the models capture well.
Revised: January 19, 2011 |
Published: December 15, 2010