An Observational and Modeling Study of the Relationships Between United States Precipitation and Pacific Sea Surface Temperature

Wang, Hui

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Description

Title

An Observational and Modeling Study of the Relationships Between United States Precipitation and Pacific Sea Surface Temperature

Author(s)

Wang, Hui

Issue Date

1997

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Mingfang Ting

Department of Study

Atmospheric Sciences

Discipline

Atmospheric Sciences

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

Physics, Atmospheric Science

Language

eng

Abstract

The first part of the modeling study was to simulate summertime U.S. precipitation in response to prescribed North Pacific SST anomalies, related to Great Plains precipitation. Summer precipitation is enhanced throughout the U.S. due to SST anomalies. The increase in precipitation is caused by enhanced low-level moisture flux, strong upper-level cyclonic circulation and intensified zonal wind over the U.S. The second part was to assess U.S. precipitation variability in the model, forced by the observed time-varying SST (1950-1994). In both winter and summer, the response of U.S. precipitation to tropical SST is significant and similar to observations. The response to North Pacific SST is weak in winter. In summer, the North Pacific SST has few effects on U.S. precipitation, but has significant impacts on 500 mb height. The model results confirm the variability of U.S. precipitation associated with the tropical Pacific SST in both seasons and suggest some effects of North Pacific SST on the atmospheric circulation.

Graduation Semester

1997

Type of Resource

text

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