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Assessing future changes in seasonal climatic extremes in the Ganges river basin using an ensemble of regional climate models

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Abstract

Using an ensemble of four high resolution (~25 km) regional climate models, this study analyses the future (2021–2050) spatial distribution of seasonal temperature and precipitation extremes in the Ganges river basin based on the SRES A1B emissions scenario. The model validation results (1989–2008) show that the models simulate seasonality and spatial distribution of extreme temperature events better than precipitation. The models are able to capture fine topographical detail in the spatial distribution of indices based on their ability to resolve processes at a higher regional resolution. Future simulations of extreme temperature indices generally agree with expected warming in the Ganges basin, with considerable seasonal and spatial variation. Significantly warmer summers in the central part of the basin along with basin-wide increase in night temperature are expected during the summer and monsoon months. An increase in heavy precipitation indices during monsoon, coupled with extended periods without precipitation during the winter months; indicates an increase in the incidence of extreme events.

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Acknowledgments

This work has been supported by the HighNoon project, funded by the European Commission Framework Programme 7 under Grant Nr. 227087.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Agricultural and Food Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India

    Neha Mittal, Ashok Mishra & Rajendra Singh

  2. Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg, Germany

    Pankaj Kumar

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  1. Neha Mittal
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  2. Ashok Mishra
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  3. Rajendra Singh
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  4. Pankaj Kumar
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Correspondence to Neha Mittal.

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Mittal, N., Mishra, A., Singh, R. et al. Assessing future changes in seasonal climatic extremes in the Ganges river basin using an ensemble of regional climate models. Climatic Change 123, 273–286 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-014-1056-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-014-1056-9

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