Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Extreme Precipitation and Dry Spells in Alpine Catchments under Changing Climatic Conditions

Abstract

Heavy and extreme precipitation and drought events are expected to increase in frequency and intensity as a result of climate change. Investigating the projected evolution of these events in terms of their spatio-temporal dynamics is important for understanding if certain regions are more susceptible to negative impacts of the changes in extremes. The spatio-temporal dynamics of extremes in complex terrain, such as in the Swiss Alps, is of particular interest as the same event might impact nearby catchments in different ways. Using climate model data at a horizontal resolution of 2.2km, dynamically downscaled with the regional climate model COSMO for the emission scenario RCP8.5, we explore projected extreme precipitation and dry spells for the end of the 21st century (2090-2099) relative to present conditions. We apply connected component labelling (CCL) to define precipitation clusters and identify the spatio-temporal changes in extreme precipitation events in alpine catchments of the southern Swiss Alps. In addition, we investigate changes between present and possible future drought conditions. The main aim is to determine if certain watersheds in the southern Alps are expected to experience different vulnerabilities to climate change-driven extreme precipitation and drought events and if the propensity to a certain type of extreme varies between different catchments. Preliminary results indicate that, relative to present-day conditions, the total amount of precipitation tends to decrease in the future scenario with increasing temperature across multiple sites. Initial assessment of the CCL results indicates that a higher overall number of extreme precipitation clusters may be found in the future summer season relative to present conditions, with weaker differences for the remaining seasons. We also expect to find shifts in the spatial range and duration of the precipitation clusters and dry spells between the present and end of century conditions.