[CEE] Mishra: "Trends in hydroclimatic extremes: Implications for energy, infrastructure, and stream ecology."

Start Date/Time: Thursday, April 28, 2011, 2:30 PM
Location: More 220

Vimal Mishra is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the UW.

Abstract:

There is both global and regional evidence that climatic extremes have increased in recent decades. I report an analysis of trends in hydroclimate across the continental U.S. during the period 1950-2009. I show that in the 100 largest urban areas in the U.S., several measures of precipitation extremes have changed, with a large predominance of increases. Moreover, trends in temperature extremes, especially those related to daily minimum temperatures, have changed in many of the urban areas; almost all changes reflect temperature increases. Furthermore, across the continental U.S. over the same period, many streams experienced significant increases in extreme streamflow. I discuss the combined nature and implications of these changes: temperature and precipitation extremes affect urban energy demand and stormwater management, whereas changing streamflow extremes may affect freshwater habitat.