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Decadal Variability of Precipitation over Western North America

Decadal Variability of Precipitation over Western North America Decadal (>7- yr period) variations of precipitation over western North America account for 20%%––50%% of the variance of annual precipitation. Spatially, the decadal variability is broken into several regional O (1000 km) components. These decadal variations are contributed by fluctuations in precipitation from seasons of the year that vary from region to region and that are not necessarily concentrated in the wettest season(s) alone. The precipitation variations are linked to various decadal atmospheric circulation and SST anomaly patterns where scales range from regional to global scales and that emphasize tropical or extratropical connections, depending upon which precipitation region is considered. Further, wet or dry decades are associated with changes in frequency of at least a few short-period circulation ““modes”” such as the Pacific––North American pattern. Precipitation fluctuations over the southwestern United States and the Saskatchewan region of western Canada are associated with extensive shifts of sea level pressure and SST anomalies, suggesting that they are components of low-frequency precipitation variability from global-scale climate processes. Consistent with the global scale of its pressure and SST connection, the Southwest decadal precipitation is aligned with opposing precipitation fluctuations in northern Africa. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Climate American Meteorological Society

Decadal Variability of Precipitation over Western North America

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Publisher
American Meteorological Society
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 American Meteorological Society
ISSN
1520-0442
DOI
10.1175/1520-0442(1998)011<3148:DVOPOW>2.0.CO;2
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Decadal (>7- yr period) variations of precipitation over western North America account for 20%%––50%% of the variance of annual precipitation. Spatially, the decadal variability is broken into several regional O (1000 km) components. These decadal variations are contributed by fluctuations in precipitation from seasons of the year that vary from region to region and that are not necessarily concentrated in the wettest season(s) alone. The precipitation variations are linked to various decadal atmospheric circulation and SST anomaly patterns where scales range from regional to global scales and that emphasize tropical or extratropical connections, depending upon which precipitation region is considered. Further, wet or dry decades are associated with changes in frequency of at least a few short-period circulation ““modes”” such as the Pacific––North American pattern. Precipitation fluctuations over the southwestern United States and the Saskatchewan region of western Canada are associated with extensive shifts of sea level pressure and SST anomalies, suggesting that they are components of low-frequency precipitation variability from global-scale climate processes. Consistent with the global scale of its pressure and SST connection, the Southwest decadal precipitation is aligned with opposing precipitation fluctuations in northern Africa.

Journal

Journal of Climate – American Meteorological Society

Published: Jan 6, 1997

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