Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-119
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-119
20 Feb 2023
 | 20 Feb 2023

Extratropical circulation associated with Mediterranean droughts during the Last Millennium in CMIP5 simulations

Woon Mi Kim, Santos J. González-Rojí, and Christoph C. Raible

Abstract. Knowing that internal climate variability is the principal driver of Mediterranean droughts during the last millennium, in this study, we investigate circulation patterns in the Euro-Atlantic domain associated with multi-year droughts over the Mediterranean region in CMIP5-PMIP3 and CESM-LME simulations. The focus is on the natural variability of droughts during 850–2005, thus excluding the anthropogenic trends from 1850 CE onward. The results re-confirm that Mediterranean drought occurrence during the last millennium is associated with internal variability. In terms of the temporal variability, all climate models exhibit a multi-decadal anti-phase occurrence of droughts between the western and eastern Mediterranean agreeing with some proxy records. This anti-phase occurrence of droughts can be explained by the dominant circulation patterns in each region: western Mediterranean droughts are dominated by a high-pressure system and ridge over central Europe and an NAO-like pattern, while eastern Mediterranean droughts are linked to positive pressure anomalies in the southern and eastern Mediterranean, negative NAO, negative EA and EA-WR-like patterns. However, these modes of climate variability are strongly model-dependent, i.e. each model has its preferred circulation patterns that occur more frequently during droughts, suggesting that the main drivers of droughts differ between the models. The models' preference is therefore a potential source of uncertainties in Mediterranean droughts in model-proxy comparison and may have implications for future climate projections.

Woon Mi Kim et al.

Status: final response (author comments only)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-119', Anonymous Referee #1, 20 Apr 2023
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Woon Mi Kim, 25 Apr 2023
      • AC3: 'Reply on AC1', Woon Mi Kim, 08 Jun 2023
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-119', Cecile Blanchet, 24 Apr 2023
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Woon Mi Kim, 25 Apr 2023
    • AC4: 'Reply on RC2', Woon Mi Kim, 08 Jun 2023
  • EC1: 'Editor Comment on egusphere-2023-119', Hugues Goosse, 03 May 2023
    • AC5: 'Reply on EC1', Woon Mi Kim, 08 Jun 2023

Woon Mi Kim et al.

Viewed

Total article views: 463 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total Supplement BibTeX EndNote
308 124 31 463 51 10 11
  • HTML: 308
  • PDF: 124
  • XML: 31
  • Total: 463
  • Supplement: 51
  • BibTeX: 10
  • EndNote: 11
Views and downloads (calculated since 20 Feb 2023)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 20 Feb 2023)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 477 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 477 with geography defined and 0 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 
Latest update: 01 Oct 2023
Download
Short summary
In this study, we investigate circulation patterns associated with Mediterranean droughts during the last millennium using global climate simulations. Different circulation patterns driven by internal interactions in the climate system contribute to the occurrence of droughts in the Mediterranean. The detected patterns are different between the models, and this difference can be a potential source of uncertainties in model-proxy comparison and future projections of Mediterranean droughts.