A twenty-first century California observing network for monitoring extreme weather events

Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology
By: , and 

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Abstract

During Northern Hemisphere winters, the West Coast of North America is battered by extratropical storms. The impact of these storms is of paramount concern to California, where aging water supply and flood protection infrastructures are challenged by increased standards for urban flood protection, an unusually variable weather regime, and projections of climate change. Additionally, there are inherent conflicts between releasing water to provide flood protection and storing water to meet requirements for water supply, water quality, hydropower generation, water temperature and flow for at-risk species, and recreation. In order to improve reservoir management and meet the increasing demands on water, improved forecasts of precipitation, especially during extreme events, is required. Here we describe how California is addressing their most important and costliest environmental issue – water management – in part, by installing a state-of-the-art observing system to better track the area’s most severe wintertime storms.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title A twenty-first century California observing network for monitoring extreme weather events
Series title Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology
DOI 10.1175/JTECH-D-12-00217.1
Volume 30
Issue 8
Year Published 2013
Language English
Publisher American Meteorological Society
Contributing office(s) Branch of Regional Research-Western Region
Description 19 p.
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology
First page 1585
Last page 1603
Country United States
State California
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