Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Urban Effects on Regional Climate: A Case Study in the Phoenix and Tucson “Sun Corridor”

Zhao Yang Department of Atmospheric Science, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

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Francina Dominguez Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois

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Hoshin Gupta Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

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Xubin Zeng Department of Atmospheric Science, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

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Laura Norman U.S. Geological Survey, Western Geographic Science Center, Tucson, Arizona

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Print Publication:
01 Aug 2016
Collections:
Biogeophysical Climate Impacts of Land Use and Land Cover Change (LULCC)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/EI-D-15-0027.1
Page(s):
1–25
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Abstract

Land-use and land-cover change (LULCC) due to urban expansion alter the surface albedo, heat capacity, and thermal conductivity of the surface. Consequently, the energy balance in urban regions is different from that of natural surfaces. To evaluate the changes in regional climate that could arise because of projected urbanization in the Phoenix–Tucson corridor, Arizona, this study applied the coupled WRF Model–Noah–Urban Canopy Model (UCM; which includes a detailed urban radiation scheme) to this region. Land-cover changes were represented using land-cover data for 2005 and projections to 2050, and historical North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) data were used to specify the lateral boundary conditions. Results suggest that temperature changes will be well defined, reflecting the urban heat island (UHI) effect within areas experiencing LULCC. Changes in precipitation are less robust but seem to indicate reductions in precipitation over the mountainous regions northeast of Phoenix and decreased evening precipitation over the newly urbanized area.

Supplemental information related to this paper is available at the Journals Online website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/EI-D-15-0027.s1.

Corresponding author address: Francina Dominguez, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois, 101 Atmospheric Sciences Building, 105 S. Gregory St., Urbana, IL 61801-3070. E-mail address: francina@illinois.edu

This article is included in the Biogeophysical Climate Impacts of Land Use and Land Cover Change (LULCC) special collection.

Abstract

Land-use and land-cover change (LULCC) due to urban expansion alter the surface albedo, heat capacity, and thermal conductivity of the surface. Consequently, the energy balance in urban regions is different from that of natural surfaces. To evaluate the changes in regional climate that could arise because of projected urbanization in the Phoenix–Tucson corridor, Arizona, this study applied the coupled WRF Model–Noah–Urban Canopy Model (UCM; which includes a detailed urban radiation scheme) to this region. Land-cover changes were represented using land-cover data for 2005 and projections to 2050, and historical North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) data were used to specify the lateral boundary conditions. Results suggest that temperature changes will be well defined, reflecting the urban heat island (UHI) effect within areas experiencing LULCC. Changes in precipitation are less robust but seem to indicate reductions in precipitation over the mountainous regions northeast of Phoenix and decreased evening precipitation over the newly urbanized area.

Supplemental information related to this paper is available at the Journals Online website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/EI-D-15-0027.s1.

Corresponding author address: Francina Dominguez, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois, 101 Atmospheric Sciences Building, 105 S. Gregory St., Urbana, IL 61801-3070. E-mail address: francina@illinois.edu

This article is included in the Biogeophysical Climate Impacts of Land Use and Land Cover Change (LULCC) special collection.

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