Journal article
The detection of atmospheric rivers in atmospheric reanalyses and their links to British winter floods and the large‐scale climatic circulation
Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Vol.117(D20), p.n/a
10/27/2012
DOI: 10.1029/2012JD018027
Abstract
Atmospheric Rivers (ARs), narrow plumes of enhanced moisture transport in the lower troposphere, are a key synoptic feature behind winter flooding in midlatitude regions. This article develops an algorithm which uses the spatial and temporal extent of the vertically integrated horizontal water vapor transport for the detection of persistent ARs (lasting 18 h or longer) in five atmospheric reanalysis products. Applying the algorithm to the different reanalyses in the vicinity of Great Britain during the winter half‐years of 1980–2010 (31 years) demonstrates generally good agreement of AR occurrence between the products. The relationship between persistent AR occurrences and winter floods is demonstrated using winter peaks‐over‐threshold (POT) floods (with on average one flood peak per winter). In the nine study basins, the number of winter POT‐1 floods associated with persistent ARs ranged from approximately 40 to 80%. A Poisson regression model was used to describe the relationship between the number of ARs in the winter half‐years and the large‐scale climate variability. A significant negative dependence was found between AR totals and the Scandinavian Pattern (SCP), with a greater frequency of ARs associated with lower SCP values.
Key Points
Develop algorithm for atmospheric river detection in atmospheric reanalyses
Link identified ARs with largest winter floods in nine British basins
Connect atmospheric river frequency with large‐scale climate variability
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The detection of atmospheric rivers in atmospheric reanalyses and their links to British winter floods and the large‐scale climatic circulation
- Creators
- David A LaversGabriele VillariniRichard P AllanEric F WoodAndrew J Wade
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Vol.117(D20), p.n/a
- DOI
- 10.1029/2012JD018027
- ISSN
- 0148-0227
- eISSN
- 2156-2202
- Number of pages
- 13
- Grant note
- Natural Environment Research Council (NE/I00677X/1)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 10/27/2012
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9983992073502771
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