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Precursors of quasi-decadal dry-spells in the Central America Dry Corridor

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Abstract

Although the hydric stress in Central America is generally low, there is a region relatively drier and prone to drought known as the Central America Dry Corridor (CADC). The area of interest is located mainly in the Pacific slope of Central America, from Chiapas in southern Mexico, to the Nicoya Peninsula in the Costa Rican North Pacific. Most of the region has experienced significant warming trends (1970–1999). On the contrary precipitation and the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) have mainly displayed non-significant trends. Analysis using the Standardized Precipitation Index and PDSI in the CADC, suggests a significant periodicity of severe and sustained droughts of around 10 years. The drought response has been associated with tropical heating that drives an atmospheric response through strengthening of the Hadley cell, which in turn produces higher pressure in the subtropical highs, and intensification of the trade winds (indexed by the Caribbean Low Level Jet). It is important to determine the commonness of severe and sustained droughts in the CADC to improve water resources planning, as this is a region that depends on subsistence agriculture and presents high social and economic vulnerabilities.

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Acknowledgements

This work was partially funded by projects 805-B7-286 (supported by UCREA), B7-507 and B6-143 (both supported by Vice-presidency of Research at University of Costa Rica (UCR), CONICIT and MICITT), A9-532 (supported by CSUCA-ASDI), B4-227, B0-065, B4-227, B0-810, B8-766 (VI-Redes), B9-454 (VI-Grupos) and A4-906 (CIGEFI-UCR, PESCTMA), from the Center for Geophysical Research (CIGEFI) of UCR. Thanks to the logistics support provided by the School of Physics of UCR. The authors thank Natalie Mora, Paula M. Pérez-Briceño and Andrés Jiménez who formatted the data and collaborated in the calculation of ancillary material.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Geophysical Research, University of Costa Rica, San Pedro, 2060, Costa Rica

    Hugo G. Hidalgo, Eric J. Alfaro & Jorge A. Amador

  2. School of Physics, University of Costa Rica, San Pedro, 2060, Costa Rica

    Hugo G. Hidalgo, Eric J. Alfaro & Jorge A. Amador

  3. Center for Research in Marine Sciences and Limnology, University of Costa Rica, San Pedro, 2060, Costa Rica

    Eric J. Alfaro

  4. Graduate Program in Atmospheric Sciences, Postgraduate Studies System, University of Costa Rica, San Pedro, 2060, Costa Rica

    Álvaro Bastidas

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  1. Hugo G. Hidalgo
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Correspondence to Hugo G. Hidalgo.

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Hidalgo, H.G., Alfaro, E.J., Amador, J.A. et al. Precursors of quasi-decadal dry-spells in the Central America Dry Corridor. Clim Dyn 53, 1307–1322 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-019-04638-y

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