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Projection in snowfall characteristics over the European Alps and its sensitivity to the SST changes: results from a 50 km resolution AGCM: Projection in snowfall and sensitivity to the SST changes

Projection in snowfall characteristics over the European Alps and its sensitivity to the SST changes: results from a 50 km resolution AGCM: Projection in snowfall and sensitivity to the SST changes
Projection in snowfall characteristics over the European Alps and its sensitivity to the SST changes: results from a 50 km resolution AGCM: Projection in snowfall and sensitivity to the SST changes
The end-of-century projection of the snowfall characteristics over the Alps region is studied using the 50-km resolution atmospheric global climate model, HiRAM (high-resolution atmospheric model). The model is forced by three different patterns of projections in the sea surface temperature (SST) in order to assess the sensitivity of snowfall characteristics to theses patterns. It is found that the mean snowfall intensity and frequency is poorly affected by the differences in SST forcing. However, the projections of heavy snowfall events strongly depend on the SST scenario. The changes in temperature and frequency of precipitation and freezing days over the Alps were investigated. We found that these variables did not exhibit a clear dependence to the SST scenario and could not explain the differences observed in snowfall projections. Changes in the moisture transport from the Atlantic Ocean to Europe were found significantly different between each scenario and are assumed to be the main factor affecting the projections of snowfalls, by providing more or less moisture supply.
1530-261X
261-267
Freychet, N.
ea2d433b-d81a-40d9-aca7-11fb3beaa202
Hsu, H.-H.
91665367-e621-4c13-92b6-ecff58811beb
Duchez, A.
d73f2e60-bc41-4fb5-9686-6e12048a6f2d
Tu, C.-Y.
bbe494a5-0017-49db-b067-bb16c2f46423
Freychet, N.
ea2d433b-d81a-40d9-aca7-11fb3beaa202
Hsu, H.-H.
91665367-e621-4c13-92b6-ecff58811beb
Duchez, A.
d73f2e60-bc41-4fb5-9686-6e12048a6f2d
Tu, C.-Y.
bbe494a5-0017-49db-b067-bb16c2f46423

Freychet, N., Hsu, H.-H., Duchez, A. and Tu, C.-Y. (2017) Projection in snowfall characteristics over the European Alps and its sensitivity to the SST changes: results from a 50 km resolution AGCM: Projection in snowfall and sensitivity to the SST changes. Atmospheric Science Letters, 18 (6), 261-267. (doi:10.1002/asl.751).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The end-of-century projection of the snowfall characteristics over the Alps region is studied using the 50-km resolution atmospheric global climate model, HiRAM (high-resolution atmospheric model). The model is forced by three different patterns of projections in the sea surface temperature (SST) in order to assess the sensitivity of snowfall characteristics to theses patterns. It is found that the mean snowfall intensity and frequency is poorly affected by the differences in SST forcing. However, the projections of heavy snowfall events strongly depend on the SST scenario. The changes in temperature and frequency of precipitation and freezing days over the Alps were investigated. We found that these variables did not exhibit a clear dependence to the SST scenario and could not explain the differences observed in snowfall projections. Changes in the moisture transport from the Atlantic Ocean to Europe were found significantly different between each scenario and are assumed to be the main factor affecting the projections of snowfalls, by providing more or less moisture supply.

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Accepted/In Press date: 13 April 2017
Published date: 1 June 2017

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 413326
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/413326
ISSN: 1530-261X
PURE UUID: 6b912c3d-4963-4c89-987f-06645c2cdbc3

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Date deposited: 22 Aug 2017 16:31
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 15:47

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Contributors

Author: N. Freychet
Author: H.-H. Hsu
Author: A. Duchez
Author: C.-Y. Tu

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