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Markku Rummukainen. Photo.

Markku Rummukainen

Professor

Markku Rummukainen. Photo.

Progress in regional downscaling of west African precipitation

Author

  • Heiko Paeth
  • Nicholas M.J. Hall
  • Miguel Angel Gaertner
  • Marta Dominque Alonso
  • Sounmaila Moumouni
  • Jan Polcher
  • Paolo M. Ruti
  • Andreas H. Fink
  • Marielle Gosset
  • Thierry Lebel
  • Amadou T. Gaye
  • David P. Rowell
  • Wilfran Moufouma-Okia
  • Daniela Jacob
  • Burkhardt Rockel
  • Filippo Giorgi
  • Markku Rummukainen
Show all

Summary, in English

We review the recent progress in dynamical and statistical downscaling approaches for west African precipitation and perform a regional climate model (RCM) intercomparison using the novel multi-model RCM data set from the Ensembles-based Predictions of Climate Changes and Their Impacts (ENSEMBLES) and African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (AMMA) projects. Present RCMs have distinct systematic errors in terms of west African precipitation varying in amplitude and pattern across models. This is also reflected in a relatively large spread in projected future precipitation trends. Altogether, the ENSEMBLES RCMs indicate a prevailing drying tendency in sub-Saharan Africa. Statistical post-processing of simulated precipitation is a promising tool to reduce systematic model errors before application in impact studies.

Department/s

  • Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC)
  • MERGE: ModElling the Regional and Global Earth system

Publishing year

2011

Language

English

Pages

75-82

Publication/Series

Atmospheric Science Letters

Volume

12

Issue

1

Document type

Article

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell

Topic

  • Earth and Related Environmental Sciences

Keywords

  • climate change
  • West Africa
  • model intercomparison
  • dynamical downscaling
  • statistical downscaling
  • SDG 13 - Climate Action

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1530-261X