Analysis of extreme weather and climate processes for north america

我们提出的研究计划的主要目标是了解与影响加拿大的极端天气事件相关的动力机制，并确定天气流模式和地形特征的相关组合，特别是有利于这些事件。这些事件可能是由源自热带、中纬度或北极的行星流和天气流驱动的。这类极端天气过程的具体例子包括飓风的温带转变、温带气旋形成和北极冷空气爆发。对这种不同的天气流模式的分析以及气候变化中与行星尺度遥相关的关系代表了与该研究相关的额外目标。特定地形特征对天气尺度气流的显著调节是另一个过程，这对我们了解加拿大特定地区的极端天气至关重要。由独特的天气尺度气流模式组合驱动的极端天气的一个例子包括冻雨，这些气流模式受到地形的强烈调节。科学的方法是首先对感兴趣的现象建立一个全面的历史视角，以提供对现象的背景理解。

Our primary objective of the proposed research program is to understand the dynamical mechanisms associated with extreme weather events affecting Canada, and to identify the pertinent combination of synoptic flow patterns and topographic features that are especially conducive to such events. The events may be driven by planetary and synoptic flow originating in the tropics, the middle latitudes, or the arctic. Respective examples of such extreme weather processes include the extratropical transition of hurricanes, extratropical cyclogenesis, and arctic cold air outbreaks. The analysis of such disparate synoptic flow patterns and the relationship to planetary scale teleconnections in a changing climate represent additional objectives that are pertinent to the study. The significant modulation of the synoptic-scale flows by the specific topographic features is another process that is crucial to our understanding of extreme weather for specific locations in Canada. An example of extreme weather that is driven by a combination of unique synoptic-scale flow patterns, which are modulated strongly by the topography, includes freezing rain. The scientific approach is to first establish a comprehensive historical perspective on the phenomenon of interest to provide a background understanding of the phenomenon.