Alpine Precipitation Analysis

Precipitation in the Alpine mountain ridge feeds 4 major river systems in Central Europe. It provides water resources and hydroelectric power for densely populated areas around the ridge. However it is also often the cause of severe natural desasters (flooding, avalanches, etc.) which endanger human lifes and civil infrastructures.

This project aims at a quantitative description and physico-dynamical interpretation of precipitation variability in the Alpine region. The project builds upon a unique dataset comprising daily observations from more than 6000 stations across the entire Alpine ridge. The dataset has been compiled from contributions of Alpine weather services and was been seminal in the planning of the field phase of the Mesoscale Alpine Programme. Statistical analysis of the dataset has resulted in several datasets, which are currently used within our research group and many other scientists. Some of the actual research questions include:

• What is the spatial distribution and annual cycle of precipitation in the Alps?
• Has precipitation changed over the 20th century and if so why?
• Has the occurrence of heavy precipitation and droughts changed and how reliably can such changes be inferred from observations?
• What is the skill of numerical weather forcasting models and climate models in the representation of precipitation over complex terrain?
• What is the dynamics involved in occurrences of heavy Alpine precipitation?
• What are the projections of future changes, especially for heavy precipitation, as a result of global climate change?

Links:

• Alpine Precipitation Analyses from High-Resolution Rain-Gauge Observations
• Analyses for the MAP Special Observing Period
• NCCR Climate
• STARDEX: Statistical and Regional dynamical Downscaling of Extremes for European regions
• PRUDENCE: Prediction of Regional scenarios and Uncertainties for Defining EuropeaN Climate change risks and Effects
• Hydrologischer Atlas der Schweiz

Contacts: Christoph Frei, Jürg Schmidli,, Marc Wüest, Dietmar Grebner, Christoph Schär