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The influence of soil moisture anomalies on variability of the North American Monsoon System

The influence of soil moisture anomalies on variability of the North American Monsoon System We examine the influence of land‐atmosphere interactions, as moderated by soil moisture anomalies, on variability of the North American Monsoon System (NAMS). Sensitivity experiments, in which soil moisture was prescribed to field capacity, were completed with the MM5 mesoscale model linked to the OSU land surface scheme. Our results demonstrate that the NAMS precipitation response to soil moisture forcing depends critically on the location of anomalous surface conditions. Wet soil in the southern Rocky Mountains (SRM) during July, which could result from the melt of an above‐normal snowpack, inhibits precipitation in the NAMS region. This is consistent with the observed negative correlation between SRM spring snowcover and NAMS summer precipitation (Gutzler and Preston, 1997). In contrast, wet soil in the NAMS region enhances July precipitation within that area—a positive soil moisture‐rainfall feedback exists. Our findings must be tested with experiments that incorporate anomalies constrained by regional‐scale soil moisture observations. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Geophysical Research Letters Wiley

The influence of soil moisture anomalies on variability of the North American Monsoon System

Geophysical Research Letters , Volume 28 (1) – Jan 1, 2001

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References (12)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 2001 by the American Geophysical Union.
ISSN
0094-8276
eISSN
1944-8007
DOI
10.1029/2000GL011652
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

We examine the influence of land‐atmosphere interactions, as moderated by soil moisture anomalies, on variability of the North American Monsoon System (NAMS). Sensitivity experiments, in which soil moisture was prescribed to field capacity, were completed with the MM5 mesoscale model linked to the OSU land surface scheme. Our results demonstrate that the NAMS precipitation response to soil moisture forcing depends critically on the location of anomalous surface conditions. Wet soil in the southern Rocky Mountains (SRM) during July, which could result from the melt of an above‐normal snowpack, inhibits precipitation in the NAMS region. This is consistent with the observed negative correlation between SRM spring snowcover and NAMS summer precipitation (Gutzler and Preston, 1997). In contrast, wet soil in the NAMS region enhances July precipitation within that area—a positive soil moisture‐rainfall feedback exists. Our findings must be tested with experiments that incorporate anomalies constrained by regional‐scale soil moisture observations.

Journal

Geophysical Research LettersWiley

Published: Jan 1, 2001

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