Version 1
: Received: 3 August 2019 / Approved: 5 August 2019 / Online: 5 August 2019 (04:48:15 CEST)
How to cite:
Mutemi, J.N. Improving Seasonal Climate Forecasts over Various Regions of Africa using the Multimodel Superensemble Approach. Preprints2019, 2019080042. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints201908.0042.v1
Mutemi, J.N. Improving Seasonal Climate Forecasts over Various Regions of Africa using the Multimodel Superensemble Approach. Preprints 2019, 2019080042. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints201908.0042.v1
Mutemi, J.N. Improving Seasonal Climate Forecasts over Various Regions of Africa using the Multimodel Superensemble Approach. Preprints2019, 2019080042. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints201908.0042.v1
APA Style
Mutemi, J.N. (2019). Improving Seasonal Climate Forecasts over Various Regions of Africa using the Multimodel Superensemble Approach. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints201908.0042.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Mutemi, J.N. 2019 "Improving Seasonal Climate Forecasts over Various Regions of Africa using the Multimodel Superensemble Approach" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints201908.0042.v1
Abstract
Improvements that can be attained in seasonal climate predictions in various parts of Africa using the multimodel supersensemble scheme are presented in this study. The synthetic superensemble (SSE) used follows the approach originally developed at Florida State University (FSU). The technique takes more advantage of the skill in the climate forecast data sets from atmosphere-ocean general circulation models running at many centres worldwide including the WMO global producing centers (GPCs). The module used in this work drew data sets from the Four versions of FSU coupled model system, seven models from the DEMETER project which is the forerun to the current European Ensembles Forecast System, the NCAR Model, and the Predictive Ocean Atmosphere Model for Australia (POAMA), all making a set of 13 individual models. An archive consisting of monthly simulations of precipitation was available over all the 5 regions of Africa, namely Eastern, Central, Northern, Southern, and Western Africa. The results showed that the SSE forecast for precipitation carries a higher skill compared to each of the member models and the ensemble mean. Relative to the ensemble mean (EM), the SSE provides an improvement of 18% in simulation of season cycle of precipitation climatology. In Eastern Africa, during December-February season, a north-south gradient of precipitation prevails between Tropical East Africa and the sector of the region towards Southern Africa. This regional scale climate pattern is a direct influence of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITZC) across the African continent during this time of the year. The SSE emerges with superior skill scores such as lowest root mean square error above the EM and the member models, for example in the prediction of spatial location and precipitation magnitudes that characterize the see-saw precipitation pattern in Eastern Africa. In all parts of Africa, and especially Eastern Africa where seasonal precipitation variability is a frequent cause huge human suffering in due to droughts and famine, the multimodel superensemble and its subsequent improvements will always provide a forecast that out weighs the best Atmosphere-Ocean Climate Model.
Environmental and Earth Sciences, Atmospheric Science and Meteorology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
