On the Relationship Between Heat Waves and Extreme Precipitation in a Warming Climate

Abstract

Heat waves are strongly linked to global warming, and recent studies have shown significant increases in global heat wave activity and extreme hydrological events. Extreme events such as large-scale droughts or flooding can also result in loss of life and property and enormous socioeconomic consequences, such as stresses on water management (e.g., reservoirs and dams), destruction of crops, and wildfires. Although heat waves and precipitation have been extensively studied independently, an intriguing relationship between heat waves and extreme precipitation has not received much attention in the literature. Given Florida's maritime climate, there exists a strong relationship between heat waves and associated extreme precipitation events. In this chapter, a review of the climatology, observed trends and impacts, specific case studies, and future climate projections of heat waves and associated extreme precipitation events over Florida is presented. Results are also discussed from a convection-allowing regional climate modeling experiment to better assess the impacts of thermodynamic changes in the warming world and how they may explain changes in the heat wave characteristics and their impacts on subsequent extreme precipitation events over Florida. Similar conclusions may be extrapolated for similar maritime subtropical regions, particularly those with built-in climatological-lifting mechanisms such as sea-breeze convergence.