Precipitation Extremes Estimated by GPCP and TRMM: ENSO Relationships

Abstract Global monthly and daily precipitation extremes are examined in relation to the El Nino–Southern Oscillation phenomenon. For each month around the annual cycle and in each 2.5° grid block, extremes in the Global Precipitation Climatology Project dataset are defined as the top five (wet) and bottom five (dry) mean rain rates from 1979 to 2004. Over the tropical oceans El Nino–Southern Oscillation events result in a spatial redistribution and overall increase in extremes. Restricting the analysis to land shows that El Nino is associated with an increase in frequency of dry extremes and a decrease in wet extremes resulting in no change in net extreme months. During La Nina an increase in frequency of dry extremes and no change in wet extremes are observed. Thus, because of the juxtaposition of tropical land areas with the ascending branches of the global Walker Circulation, El Nino (La Nina) contributes to generally dry (wet) conditions in these land areas. In addition, daily rain rates computed fro...

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