The role of atmospheric rivers in the distribution of heavy precipitation events over North America
<p>Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are filaments of extensive water vapor transport in the lower troposphere that play a crucial role in the distribution of freshwater but can also cause natural and economic damage by facilitating heavy precipitation. Here, we investigate the large-scale spatiotempor...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Hydrology and Earth System Sciences |
| Online Access: | https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/27/2645/2023/hess-27-2645-2023.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797777312592166912 |
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| author | S. M. Vallejo-Bernal S. M. Vallejo-Bernal F. Wolf N. Boers N. Boers N. Boers D. Traxl N. Marwan N. Marwan J. Kurths J. Kurths |
| author_facet | S. M. Vallejo-Bernal S. M. Vallejo-Bernal F. Wolf N. Boers N. Boers N. Boers D. Traxl N. Marwan N. Marwan J. Kurths J. Kurths |
| author_sort | S. M. Vallejo-Bernal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are filaments of extensive water vapor transport in the lower troposphere that play a crucial role in the distribution of freshwater but can also cause natural and economic damage by facilitating heavy precipitation. Here, we investigate the large-scale spatiotemporal synchronization patterns of heavy precipitation events (HPEs) over the western coast and the continental regions of North America (NA), during the period from 1979 to 2018. In particular, we use event synchronization and a complex network approach incorporating varying delays to examine the temporal evolution of spatial patterns of HPEs in the aftermath of land-falling ARs. For that, we employ the SIO-R1 catalog of ARs that landfall on the western coast of NA, ranked in terms of intensity and persistence on an AR-strength scale which varies from level AR<span class="inline-formula">1</span> to AR<span class="inline-formula">5</span>, along with daily precipitation estimates from ERA5 with a <span class="inline-formula">0.25<sup>∘</sup></span> spatial resolution. Our analysis reveals a cascade of synchronized HPEs, triggered by ARs of level AR<span class="inline-formula">3</span> or higher. On the first <span class="inline-formula">3</span> d after an AR makes landfall, HPEs mostly occur and synchronize along the western coast of NA. In the subsequent days, moisture can be transported to central and eastern Canada and cause synchronized but delayed HPEs there. Furthermore, we confirm the robustness of our findings with an additional AR catalog based on a different AR detection method. Finally, analyzing the anomalies of integrated water vapor transport, geopotential height, upper-level meridional wind, and precipitation, we find atmospheric circulation patterns that are consistent with the spatiotemporal evolution of the synchronized HPEs. Revealing the role of ARs in the precipitation patterns over NA will lead to a better understanding of inland HPEs and the effects that changing climate dynamics will have on precipitation occurrence and consequent impacts in the context of a warming atmosphere.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T23:02:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f342f430fe684c61bdfd452e925ca89f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1027-5606 1607-7938 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T23:02:17Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Hydrology and Earth System Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-f342f430fe684c61bdfd452e925ca89f2023-07-19T09:43:06ZengCopernicus PublicationsHydrology and Earth System Sciences1027-56061607-79382023-07-01272645266010.5194/hess-27-2645-2023The role of atmospheric rivers in the distribution of heavy precipitation events over North AmericaS. M. Vallejo-Bernal0S. M. Vallejo-Bernal1F. Wolf2N. Boers3N. Boers4N. Boers5D. Traxl6N. Marwan7N. Marwan8J. Kurths9J. Kurths10Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Member of the Leibniz Association, P.O. Box 60 12 03, 14412 Potsdam, GermanyInstitute of Geosciences, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, GermanyPotsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Member of the Leibniz Association, P.O. Box 60 12 03, 14412 Potsdam, GermanyPotsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Member of the Leibniz Association, P.O. Box 60 12 03, 14412 Potsdam, GermanyEarth System Modelling, School of Engineering and Design, Technical University of Munich, 85521 Ottobrunn, GermanyGlobal Systems Institute and Department of Mathematics, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QF, UKPotsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Member of the Leibniz Association, P.O. Box 60 12 03, 14412 Potsdam, GermanyPotsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Member of the Leibniz Association, P.O. Box 60 12 03, 14412 Potsdam, GermanyInstitute of Geosciences, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, GermanyPotsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Member of the Leibniz Association, P.O. Box 60 12 03, 14412 Potsdam, GermanyInstitute of Geosciences, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany<p>Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are filaments of extensive water vapor transport in the lower troposphere that play a crucial role in the distribution of freshwater but can also cause natural and economic damage by facilitating heavy precipitation. Here, we investigate the large-scale spatiotemporal synchronization patterns of heavy precipitation events (HPEs) over the western coast and the continental regions of North America (NA), during the period from 1979 to 2018. In particular, we use event synchronization and a complex network approach incorporating varying delays to examine the temporal evolution of spatial patterns of HPEs in the aftermath of land-falling ARs. For that, we employ the SIO-R1 catalog of ARs that landfall on the western coast of NA, ranked in terms of intensity and persistence on an AR-strength scale which varies from level AR<span class="inline-formula">1</span> to AR<span class="inline-formula">5</span>, along with daily precipitation estimates from ERA5 with a <span class="inline-formula">0.25<sup>∘</sup></span> spatial resolution. Our analysis reveals a cascade of synchronized HPEs, triggered by ARs of level AR<span class="inline-formula">3</span> or higher. On the first <span class="inline-formula">3</span> d after an AR makes landfall, HPEs mostly occur and synchronize along the western coast of NA. In the subsequent days, moisture can be transported to central and eastern Canada and cause synchronized but delayed HPEs there. Furthermore, we confirm the robustness of our findings with an additional AR catalog based on a different AR detection method. Finally, analyzing the anomalies of integrated water vapor transport, geopotential height, upper-level meridional wind, and precipitation, we find atmospheric circulation patterns that are consistent with the spatiotemporal evolution of the synchronized HPEs. Revealing the role of ARs in the precipitation patterns over NA will lead to a better understanding of inland HPEs and the effects that changing climate dynamics will have on precipitation occurrence and consequent impacts in the context of a warming atmosphere.</p>https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/27/2645/2023/hess-27-2645-2023.pdf |
| spellingShingle | S. M. Vallejo-Bernal S. M. Vallejo-Bernal F. Wolf N. Boers N. Boers N. Boers D. Traxl N. Marwan N. Marwan J. Kurths J. Kurths The role of atmospheric rivers in the distribution of heavy precipitation events over North America Hydrology and Earth System Sciences |
| title | The role of atmospheric rivers in the distribution of heavy precipitation events over North America |
| title_full | The role of atmospheric rivers in the distribution of heavy precipitation events over North America |
| title_fullStr | The role of atmospheric rivers in the distribution of heavy precipitation events over North America |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of atmospheric rivers in the distribution of heavy precipitation events over North America |
| title_short | The role of atmospheric rivers in the distribution of heavy precipitation events over North America |
| title_sort | role of atmospheric rivers in the distribution of heavy precipitation events over north america |
| url | https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/27/2645/2023/hess-27-2645-2023.pdf |
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