Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

A New HadGEM3-A-Based System for Attribution of Weather- and Climate-Related Extreme Events

Nikolaos Christidis Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, United Kingdom

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Peter A. Stott Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, United Kingdom

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Adam A. Scaife Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, United Kingdom

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Alberto Arribas Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, United Kingdom

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Gareth S. Jones Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, United Kingdom

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Dan Copsey Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, United Kingdom

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Jeff R. Knight Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, United Kingdom

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Warren J. Tennant Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, United Kingdom

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Print Publication:
01 May 2013
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00169.1
Page(s):
2756–2783
Restricted access

Abstract

A new system for attribution of weather and climate extreme events has been developed based on the atmospheric component of the latest Hadley Centre model. The model is run with either observational data of sea surface temperature and sea ice or estimates of what their values would be without the effect of anthropogenic climatic forcings. In that way, ensembles of simulations are produced that represent the climate with and without the effect of human influences. A comparison between the ensembles provides estimates of the change in the frequency of extremes due to anthropogenic forcings. To evaluate the new system, reliability diagrams are constructed, which compare the model-derived probability of extreme events with their observed frequency. The ability of the model to reproduce realistic distributions of relevant climatic variables is another key aspect of the system evaluation. Results are then presented from analyses of three recent high-impact events: the 2009/10 cold winter in the United Kingdom, the heat wave in Moscow in July 2010, and floods in Pakistan in July 2010. An evaluation assessment indicates the model can provide reliable results for the U.K. and Moscow events but not for Pakistan. It is found that without anthropogenic forcings winters in the United Kingdom colder than 2009/10 would be 7–10 times (best estimate) more common. Although anthropogenic forcings increase the likelihood of heat waves in Moscow, the 2010 event is found to be very uncommon and associated with a return time of several hundred years. No reliable attribution assessment can be made for high-precipitation events in Pakistan.

Corresponding author address: Nikolaos Christidis, Met Office Hadley Centre, FitzRoy Road, Exeter EX1 3PB, United Kingdom. E-mail: nikos.christidis@metoffice.gov.uk

Abstract

A new system for attribution of weather and climate extreme events has been developed based on the atmospheric component of the latest Hadley Centre model. The model is run with either observational data of sea surface temperature and sea ice or estimates of what their values would be without the effect of anthropogenic climatic forcings. In that way, ensembles of simulations are produced that represent the climate with and without the effect of human influences. A comparison between the ensembles provides estimates of the change in the frequency of extremes due to anthropogenic forcings. To evaluate the new system, reliability diagrams are constructed, which compare the model-derived probability of extreme events with their observed frequency. The ability of the model to reproduce realistic distributions of relevant climatic variables is another key aspect of the system evaluation. Results are then presented from analyses of three recent high-impact events: the 2009/10 cold winter in the United Kingdom, the heat wave in Moscow in July 2010, and floods in Pakistan in July 2010. An evaluation assessment indicates the model can provide reliable results for the U.K. and Moscow events but not for Pakistan. It is found that without anthropogenic forcings winters in the United Kingdom colder than 2009/10 would be 7–10 times (best estimate) more common. Although anthropogenic forcings increase the likelihood of heat waves in Moscow, the 2010 event is found to be very uncommon and associated with a return time of several hundred years. No reliable attribution assessment can be made for high-precipitation events in Pakistan.

Corresponding author address: Nikolaos Christidis, Met Office Hadley Centre, FitzRoy Road, Exeter EX1 3PB, United Kingdom. E-mail: nikos.christidis@metoffice.gov.uk
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