Evidence from the Historical Record to Support Projection of Future Wind Regimes: An Application to Canada |
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| Authors: | Chad Shouquan Cheng |
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| Institution: | Meteorological Service of Canada, Ontario Region, Environment Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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| Abstract: | In the field of climate change impact analysis, bidirectional changes in projections of future wind regimes varying among studies, locations, and models have been described in the literature, which is understandable from a global perspective. However, we should attempt to find evidence in the historical record to support these projections. This paper attempts to address this issue by analyzing historical wind gust observations for up to 57 years (1953–2009) over Canada. Two wind gust analysis techniques were used: the speed of daily wind gust events ≥50?km?h?1 was compared with (1) the climatological daily temperature anomaly and (2) the climatological daily sea level air pressure anomaly. In addition, the frequency of daily wind gust events ≥90?km?h?1 was compared with both daily temperature and pressure anomalies. The results indicate that during the past five decades gust wind speed over Canada increased significantly as the daily temperature anomaly increased and the daily pressure anomaly decreased. About 50–60% of daily wind gust events ≥90?km?h?1 occurred with positive daily temperature anomalies and negative daily pressure anomalies. One major conclusion is that the methods used in and results derived from this study might be applied to climate change impact analysis to support projections of future wind regimes. |
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| Keywords: | wind gust climate change trend analysis Canada |
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