Downscaled Climate Data for Alaska (v1.1, August 2023)

This dataset contains historical and projected dynamically downscaled climate data for the Southeast region of the State of Alaska at 1 and 4km spatial resolution and hourly temporal resolution. Select variables are also summarized into daily resolutions. This data was produced using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model (Version 4.0). We downscaled both Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) historical reanalysis data (1980-2019) and both historical and projected runs from two GCM’s from the Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project 5 (CMIP5): GFDL-CM3 and NCAR-CCSM4 (historical run: 1980-2010 and RCP 8.5: 2030-2060).

The data are a subset of the EPA Dynamically Downscaled Ensemble (EDDE), Version 2. EDDE is a collection of physics-based modeled data that represent 3D atmospheric conditions for historical and future periods under different scenarios. The EDDE Version 2 datasets cover the contiguous United States at a horizontal grid spacing of 12 kilometers at hourly increments. EDDE Version 2 will include simulations that have been dynamically downscaled from multiple global climate models (GCMs) under multiple emission scenarios from the Sixth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Scenarios were downscaled from the Max Planck Institute (MPI) Earth System Model (ESM) version 1.2 High Resolution (MPI-ESM1-2-HR), with plans to expand into additional GCMs in the future. Simulations cover the historical period 1985-2014 and a future period of 2025-2100 under Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) 3-7.0. Data are in Network Common Dat[...]

The data are a subset of the EPA Dynamically Downscaled Ensemble (EDDE), Version 1. EDDE is a collection of physics-based modeled data that represent 3D atmospheric conditions for historical and future periods under different scenarios. The EDDE Version 1 datasets cover the contiguous United States at a horizontal grid spacing of 36 kilometers at hourly increments. EDDE Version 1 includes simulations that have been dynamically downscaled from multiple global climate models (GCMs) under both mid- and high-emission scenarios from the Fifth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Scenarios were downscaled from the Community Earth System Model (CESM) and the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) Coupled Model version 3 (CM3). Simulations followed the historical periods 1975-2005 (CESM only) and 1995-2005 (both CESM and CM3), and Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 for 2025-2100 (CESM only), RCP6.0 for 20[...]

GCMs under CMIP6 have been widely used to investigate climate change impacts and put forward associated adaptation and mitigation strategies. However, the relatively coarse spatial resolutions (usually 100~300km) preclude their direct applications at regional scales, which are exactly where the analysis (e.g., hydrological model simulation) is performed. To bridge this gap, a typical approach is to ‘refine’ the information from GCMs through regional climate downscaling experiments, which can be conducted statistically, dynamically, or a combination thereof. Statistical downscaling establishes relationships between large-scale climate indicators and small-scale climate variables in the reference (historical) period. Subsequently, these relationships are kept unchanged in the future and used to predict the future variables. On the other hand, dynamical downscaling operates based on the physical processes and the associated interactions in the climate systems and thus can produce a f[...]

GCMs under CMIP6 have been widely used to investigate climate change impacts and put forward associated adaptation and mitigation strategies. However, the relatively coarse spatial resolutions (usually 100~300km) preclude their direct applications at regional scales, which are exactly where the analysis (e.g., hydrological model simulation) is performed. To bridge this gap, a typical approach is to ‘refine’ the information from GCMs through regional climate downscaling experiments, which can be conducted statistically, dynamically, or a combination thereof. Statistical downscaling establishes relationships between large-scale climate indicators and small-scale climate variables in the reference (historical) period. Subsequently, these relationships are kept unchanged in the future and used to predict the future variables. On the other hand, dynamical downscaling operates based on the physical processes and the associated interactions in the climate systems and thus can produce a f[...]