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EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON WEATHER AND WATER
Citation:
COOTER, E., B. K. EDER, C. ROSENZWEIG, B. LYNN, R. GOLDBERG, C. KNUTSON, M. HAYES, D. WILHITE, J. DECAROLIS, AND T. BARNETT. EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON WEATHER AND WATER. EM: AIR AND WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION'S MAGAZINE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGERS. Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA, , 32-35, (2005).
Impact/Purpose:
The objective of this work is to investigate the impact of global climate change on the regional air quality of the United States. Impacts of climate change on meteorological patterns and primary source emissions are investigated as primary elements influencing future air quality.
Description:
Information regarding weather and hydrological processes and how they may change in the future is available from a variety of dynamically downscaled climate models. Current studies are helping to improve the use of such models for regional climate impact studies by testing the sensitivity of climate change projections to different boundary-layer, cumulus, and radiation parameterizations. Results suggest that regional-scale temperature projections are highly dependent on the choice of model precipitation physics and subsequent event frequency, timing (night/day), and associated cloud cover. Refinements in the quality of climate model precipitation predictions should be pursued in conjunction with studies on air quality characteristics that show significant linkages to precipitation. Changes in the patterns of these weather characteristics will likely be reflected in changes in atmospheric deposition; visibility; soil resuspension; wildfire related emissions; and emissions associated with changing energy resources, technology and demand.