4KM Difference: Winter Precipitation (2045-2060) from GFDL-driven RegCM3 climate model (Western US)

This dataset depicts the Difference of Winter Precipitation for 2045-2060 compared to 1968-1999 for GFDL.

These data have been generated using a regional climate model called RegCM3 using boundary conditions from observations or general circulation models for historical conditions, and from GCM projections for future conditions.

Regional climate model description: RegCM3 is the third generation of the Regional Climate Model originally developed at the National Center for Atmospheric Research during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Details on current model components and applications of the model can be found in numerous publications (e.g., Giorgi et al, 2004a,b, Pal et al, 2007), the ICTP RegCNET web site (http://users.ictp.it/RegCNET/model.html), and the ICTP RegCM publications web site (http://users.ictp.it/~pubregcm/RegCM3/pubs.htm ). The Western North America domain has a horizontal grid spacing of 15 km and 18 vertical levels.

RegCM3 requires time-dependent lateral (wind, temperature, and humidity) and surface [surface pressure and sea surface temperature (SST)] boundary conditions that are updated every 6 hours of simulation. Lateral boundary conditions are derived from General Circulation Model (GCM) output or observations (e.g. NCEP).

Additional information: http://regclim.coas.oregonstate.edu/RCCV/RCCV_States_advanced.html for data visualization and http://regclim.coas.oregonstate.edu/ for detailed documentation.

These files were created by calculating differences (anomalies) from the mean 1968-99 climate according to the given model, and then adding those anomalies to the mean PRISM climate for 1968-1999

Global climate simulations from the GFDL CM 2.0 were part of a suite of model output used in the Climate Model Inter-comparison Project (CMIP) and the IPCC AR4. GFDL has a long development history and has been widely applied to climate research. Details and documentation of the model can be found following links on the CMIP website located at: http://www pcmdi.llnl.gov/ipcc/model_documentation/ipcc_model_documentation.php.