Analysis of the CAM and CCSM 4.0 Compared with Observations in the Southwestern United States

The Southwestern United States is one of many regions susceptible to the effects of our changing climate system. Numerous climate phenomena, such as the North American Monsoon and Madden-Julian Oscillation, are known to correlate with precipitation and temperature variations in the area of the southwest. These processes can be linked to sea surface temperatures (SST) in the tropical Pacific, which are also associated to our global climate. We will explore the relationship between the changes of temperature and precipitation levels in the southwestern United States to SST in the Pacific Ocean through comparisons of observational data in an Intensive Observation Period (IOP) of the Southern Great Plains to the Community Atmospheric Model (CAM 4.0) and the Community Climate System Model (CCSM 4.0). Our analysis showed a correlation between variations in temperature and precipitation in the southwestern US and tropical SST. Our statistical analysis yielded large values for this correlation, confirming our hypothesis that our changing climate system is affecting weather patterns in the southwestern United States through ocean warming.