Time-evolving sea-surface warming patterns modulate the climate change response of subtropical precipitation over land.

ABSTRACT: Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions affect precipitation worldwide. The response is commonly described by two timescales linked to different processes: a rapid adjustment to radiative forcing, followed by a slower response to surface warming. However, additional timescales exist in the surface-warming response, tied to the time evolution of the sea-surface-temperature (SST) response. Here, we show that in climate model projections, the rapid adjustment and surface mean warming are insufficient to explain the time evolution of the hydro-climate response in three key Mediterranean-like areas-namely, California, Chile, and the Mediterranean. The time evolution of those responses critically depends on distinct shifts in the regional atmospheric circulation associated with the existence of distinct

SUBMITTER: Zappa G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7060690 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature