Projections of Future Precipitation Extremes Over Europe: A Multimodel Assessment of Climate Simulations. Issue 20 (23rd October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rajczak, Jan; Schär, Christoph
• Is Part Of: Journal of geophysical research. Volume 122:Issue 20(2017)
• Page Start: 10, 773
• Page End: 10, 800
• Publication Date: 2017-10-23
• Subjects: precipitation -- extremes -- Regional Climate Models -- climate projections -- Europe -- EURO‐CORDEX; Atmospheric physics -- Periodicals; Geophysics -- Periodicals; 551.5
• DOI: 10.1002/2017JD027176
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2169-897X

Abstract

Abstract: Projections of precipitation and its extremes over the European continent are analyzed in an extensive multimodel ensemble of 12 and 50 km resolution EURO‐CORDEX Regional Climate Models (RCMs) forced by RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5 (Representative Concentration Pathway) aerosol and greenhouse gas emission scenarios. A systematic intercomparison with ENSEMBLES RCMs is carried out, such that in total information is provided for an unprecedentedly large data set of 100 RCM simulations. An evaluation finds very reasonable skill for the EURO‐CORDEX models in simulating temporal and geographical variations of (mean and heavy) precipitation at both horizontal resolutions. Heavy and extreme precipitation events are projected to intensify across most of Europe throughout the whole year. All considered models agree on a distinct intensification of extremes by often more than +20% in winter and fall and over central and northern Europe. A reduction of rainy days and mean precipitation in summer is simulated by a large majority of models in the Mediterranean area, but intermodel spread between the simulations is large. In central Europe and France during summer, models project decreases in precipitation but more intense heavy and extreme rainfalls. Comparison to previous RCM projections from ENSEMBLES reveals consistency but slight differences in summer, where reductions in southern European precipitation are not as pronounced as previously projected. The projected changes of the European hydrological cycle may have substantial impact on environmental and anthropogenic systems. In particular, the simulations indicate a rising probability of summertime drought in southern Europe and more frequent and intense heavy rainfall across all of Europe. Key Points: Precipitation extremes are projected to intensify in all seasons and regions of Europe, most distinct in the north and in winter Changes in precipitation mean and frequency do not scale proportional to changes in extremes, in some areas and seasons these changes may have opposite sign EURO‐CORDEX RCM projections are overall consistent with previous knowledge from ENSEMBLES RCM projections