Eastern North Pacific Tropical Cyclones: Their Large-scale Patterns, Variability, and Impacts on the Southwestern U.S. Region

University Of Arizona, Tucson AZ

Investigators

Abstract

This project will undertake the following: (i) establish the large-scale eastern North Pacific tropical cyclone (TC) climatology and variability, including investigating the near-coastal versus open ocean variability of TC activity and the large-scale circulation patterns associated with the modes of variability; (ii) extend of the current database of near-coastal TC remnants both in time as well as to include 3-dimensional atmospheric information; and (iii) perform the statistical analysis of characteristic circulation patterns associated with particular rain swath patterns across the southwestern U.S. region. The research will increase fundamental understanding of the climate variability of eastern North Pacific tropical cyclones and how a changing climate will alter their impacts on the sensitive southwestern U.S. and Mexico regions. Better understanding of the large-scale circulation patterns that increase TC landfall activity may lead to improved seasonal forecasts of these phenomena as well as resource and management planning into the future.