Regional climate modeling over China with COSMO-CLM: Performance assessment and climate projections
Abstract
This study presents the results of high-resolution (0.125°) climate simulations over a Chinese area performed with an optimized configuration of the regional climate model COSMO-CLM, driven by ERA-Interim Reanalysis over the period 1979-2011 and by the output of the global model CMCC-CM (resolution 0.75°) over the period 1979-2100. The main aim of this work was to analyze the capabilities of COSMO-CLM to describe the climate of China in the recent past; validation revealed a good improvement in reproducing the precipitation and a reasonable improvement in 2 m temperature representation compared to results reported elsewhere. Climate projections, under the new IPCC RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 emission scenarios, show a significant warming expected in China over the 21st century, while precipitation changes are expected only on a regional scale: increases in precipitation are projected for both scenarios in the northern part of the domain, while the southern area will be affected by a reduction in winter.
- Publication:
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Journal of Geophysical Research (Atmospheres)
- Pub Date:
- November 2014
- DOI:
- 10.1002/2014JD022219
- Bibcode:
- 2014JGRD..11912151B
- Keywords:
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- China;
- high-resolution climate simulations;
- climate projections