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New work led by @k_r_gonz on the different "flavors" of U.S. West Coast atmospheric rivers is out this week! We find that wind- vs. moisture-dominated ARs have distinct characteristics that substantially affect precipitation. (1/3) @StanfordEarth @theAGU https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2020GL090042
We find that for a given level of vapor transport,
“windy” ARs generally produce greater precip than do “wet” ARs. This suggests that wind-dominated water events are more efficient at "squeezing" H20 vapor out of airmass--esp. for most extreme events.(2/3) https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2020GL090042
“windy” ARs generally produce greater precip than do “wet” ARs. This suggests that wind-dominated water events are more efficient at "squeezing" H20 vapor out of airmass--esp. for most extreme events.(2/3) https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2020GL090042
(3/3) We also find that West Coast ARs became more moisture-dominated between 1980-2016, especially across Pacific NW. It's possible this is an early climate change signal, but more work will be needed to confirm. (3/3) https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2020GL090042
