Some Climate Model Simulations [Animated]


Below are animations of some climate model output variables covering two years between 2010-2012. The simulations are performed using the Unified Model developed by the UK Met Office. Each frame in the animations represent a monthly average.


Climate simulations have various types of errors and biases therefore are not very accurate representations of the atmosphere, especially these ones having been run with a relatively low horizontal resolution (135 km). However, they give a pretty good idea about the global large-scale behaviour of some parameters some of which I share below (surface temperature, precipitation, cloud fraction, and downward shortwave radiation). Even some relatively small-scale features are evident in these simulations (can you find the Himalayas in the surface temperature animation?). Also, notice the seasonal shift in the simulation of the downward shortwave radiation, which is a measure of the radiation from the sun hitting the earth's surface.   





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