Tuesday, 11 January 2005: 4:15 PM
MM5 Simulations of Precipitation in the El Paso Del Norte
The El Paso Del Norte (EPDN) region has been suffering from one of the most devastating droughts in recent decades. The EPDN gets between 60 and 70 percent of the total yearly precipitation during the months of July through September; this time coincides with the North American (Mexican Monsoon). Analyses of National Weather Service data indicate a decrease in the amount of precipitation in the EPDN region in recent years. Though bi-national efforts have been initiated to assess water conservation strategies, several key factors that may influence this drought still require further study. Sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the tropical Pacific Ocean may be responsible for dry weather conditions. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to use MM5 along with satellite and buoy derived SST to simulate synoptic conditions, precipitation occurrence, and precipitation amounts in the EPDN region. In-situ rain gauge and National Weather Service observations will be used to validate the model’s output.
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