A new metrics framework for quantifying and intercomparing atmospheric rivers in observations, reanalyses, and climate models

Dong, Bo; Ullrich, Paul; Lee, Jiwoo; Gleckler, Peter; Chang, Kristin; O'Brien, Travis A.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-961-2025

Articles | Volume 18, issue 4

https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-961-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-961-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 18, issue 4

Methods for assessment of models

|

20 Feb 2025

Methods for assessment of models |

| 20 Feb 2025

A new metrics framework for quantifying and intercomparing atmospheric rivers in observations, reanalyses, and climate models

Bo Dong, Paul Ullrich, Jiwoo Lee, Peter Gleckler, Kristin Chang, and Travis A. O'Brien

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-961-2025-supplement

Model code and software

PCMDI/ARMP: v0.1.0 (v0.1.0) B. Dong et al. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14188790

Short summary

A metrics package designed for easy analysis of atmospheric river (AR) characteristics and statistics is presented. The tool is efficient for diagnosing systematic AR bias in climate models and useful for evaluating new AR characteristics in model simulations. In climate models, landfalling AR precipitation shows dry biases globally, and AR tracks are farther poleward (equatorward) in the North and South Atlantic (South Pacific and Indian Ocean).