- Library Home /
- Search Collections /
- Open Collections /
- Browse Collections /
- UBC Theses and Dissertations /
- Statistical downscaling and teleconnections : ENSO...
Open Collections
UBC Theses and Dissertations
UBC Theses and Dissertations
Statistical downscaling and teleconnections : ENSO and PDO teleconnections as a source of within-type precipitation variability in British Columbia Asplin, Matthew Grant.
Abstract
The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) strongly influence atmospheric circulation over Western North America and therefore play a major role in modulating surface climate. This study represents an extension of Stahl et al. (2006a) in which a PCA - based approach was used to develop a synoptic climatology of mean sea level pressure patterns for the period 1948-2003 and in which relations between winter climate and major climate indices (PDO and ENSO) were explored. For both ENSO and PDO teleconnections, the synoptic analysis demonstrated that surface regional climate anomalies were linked to changes in both (a) the frequency of surface circulation types and (b) within-type variations. As the influence of major climate indices on the magnitude of within-type variability is not well understood, and is crucially important to the success of downscaling efforts, this study explores the nature of such variability in major winter precipitation producing types. Descriptive precipitation statistics are calculated for each synoptic type and compared between teleconnection phases for 56 years of data and for several key stations across British Columbia. Preliminary results suggest that teleconnections are responsible for a significant component of within-type precipitation variability and that this arises as a result of systematic differences in meteorology within types as expressed by such variables as vorticity, vertical velocity, precipitable water and geopotential heights. Based on these findings, creating of synoptic sub-types based upon teleconnection indices is proposed as a method for improving downscaling from GCMs by accounting for within-type variability associated with teleconnections. The downscaling methodology presented in this study assumes that GCM output, consisting of daily weather patterns and long-range teleconnection indices, can be used to classify the daily patterns into synoptic sub-types based upon the teleconnection indices, given mean precipitation amounts established for each type based on the historic record, downscaling scenarios can be calculated for any station in BC. In order to validate this approach, the statistical model was tested on the historic record using a bootstrapping approach. When repeated many times, this provides a statistically robust means of model assessment. The performance of a "basic" model, which employs the thirteen synoptic types of Stahl et al. (2006a), is assessed. The modelling methodology performs generally well for most of BC, but varies by region. The best model performance is found along the coast where precipitation amounts are the greatest, reflecting the consistent precipitation climatology of the region. The performance of three additional models, which utilise PDO, ENSO and PDO / ENSO subtypes, is contrasted with the basic model. It is discovered that the model using PDO / ENSO sub-types affords the greatest improvement over the basic model, with improvements varying in different regions of British Columbia. This study suggests that accounting for teleconnection indices can improve downscaling efforts; however, further research and development is recommended before an operational tool can be produced.
Item Metadata
Title |
Statistical downscaling and teleconnections : ENSO and PDO teleconnections as a source of within-type precipitation variability in British Columbia
|
Creator | |
Publisher |
University of British Columbia
|
Date Issued |
2006
|
Description |
The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)
strongly influence atmospheric circulation over Western North America and therefore
play a major role in modulating surface climate. This study represents an extension of
Stahl et al. (2006a) in which a PCA - based approach was used to develop a synoptic
climatology of mean sea level pressure patterns for the period 1948-2003 and in which
relations between winter climate and major climate indices (PDO and ENSO) were
explored. For both ENSO and PDO teleconnections, the synoptic analysis demonstrated
that surface regional climate anomalies were linked to changes in both (a) the frequency
of surface circulation types and (b) within-type variations.
As the influence of major climate indices on the magnitude of within-type
variability is not well understood, and is crucially important to the success of
downscaling efforts, this study explores the nature of such variability in major winter
precipitation producing types. Descriptive precipitation statistics are calculated for each
synoptic type and compared between teleconnection phases for 56 years of data and for
several key stations across British Columbia. Preliminary results suggest that
teleconnections are responsible for a significant component of within-type precipitation
variability and that this arises as a result of systematic differences in meteorology within
types as expressed by such variables as vorticity, vertical velocity, precipitable water and
geopotential heights. Based on these findings, creating of synoptic sub-types based upon
teleconnection indices is proposed as a method for improving downscaling from GCMs
by accounting for within-type variability associated with teleconnections.
The downscaling methodology presented in this study assumes that GCM output,
consisting of daily weather patterns and long-range teleconnection indices, can be used to
classify the daily patterns into synoptic sub-types based upon the teleconnection indices,
given mean precipitation amounts established for each type based on the historic record,
downscaling scenarios can be calculated for any station in BC. In order to validate this
approach, the statistical model was tested on the historic record using a bootstrapping
approach. When repeated many times, this provides a statistically robust means of model
assessment.
The performance of a "basic" model, which employs the thirteen synoptic types of
Stahl et al. (2006a), is assessed. The modelling methodology performs generally well for
most of BC, but varies by region. The best model performance is found along the coast
where precipitation amounts are the greatest, reflecting the consistent precipitation
climatology of the region. The performance of three additional models, which utilise
PDO, ENSO and PDO / ENSO subtypes, is contrasted with the basic model. It is
discovered that the model using PDO / ENSO sub-types affords the greatest improvement
over the basic model, with improvements varying in different regions of British
Columbia.
This study suggests that accounting for teleconnection indices can improve
downscaling efforts; however, further research and development is recommended before
an operational tool can be produced.
|
Genre | |
Type | |
Language |
eng
|
Date Available |
2011-02-23
|
Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
|
Rights |
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
|
DOI |
10.14288/1.0100745
|
URI | |
Degree | |
Program | |
Affiliation | |
Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
|
Campus | |
Scholarly Level |
Graduate
|
Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
|
Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.