Climate model biases in seasonality of continental water storage revealed by satellite gravimetry

Water Resources Research
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Abstract

Satellite gravimetric observations of monthly changes in continental water storage are compared with outputs from five climate models. All models qualitatively reproduce the global pattern of annual storage amplitude, and the seasonal cycle of global average storage is reproduced well, consistent with earlier studies. However, global average agreements mask systematic model biases in low latitudes. Seasonal extrema of low‐latitude, hemispheric storage generally occur too early in the models, and model‐specific errors in amplitude of the low‐latitude annual variations are substantial. These errors are potentially explicable in terms of neglected or suboptimally parameterized water stores in the land models and precipitation biases in the climate models.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Climate model biases in seasonality of continental water storage revealed by satellite gravimetry
Series title Water Resources Research
DOI 10.1029/2005WR004628
Volume 42
Issue 3
Year Published 2006
Language English
Publisher American Geophysical Union
Description Article W03201; 7 p.
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