High-resolution climate change projections for Queensland

Full description

The dataset is High-resolution climate change projections for Queensland. The high-resolution (10 km spatial grid spacing) has been generated using global variable resolution CSIRO CCAM-CABLE model by the Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation (DSITI) in collaboration with CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research. This high-resolution dynamically downscaled data is an extension of CSIRO-BoM Climate Change in Australia: Projections for Australia's NRM Regions (http://www.climatechangeinaustralia.gov.au/en/climate-projections/ ) which were based on the data from coarse resolution global climate projections completed under the CMIP5 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5) to support the development of the 5th Assessment Report of IPCC released during 2013-2014. The high resolution projections were developed in two stages. In first time varying sea surface temperature and sea ice from selected global climate models (CMIP5) were bias corrected and used to force the 50 km global uniform resolution CCAM-CABLE model for the period 1950-2099 under RCP8.5 emission pathway. In stage two the global stretched version of CCAM-CABLE model at 10 km spatial resolution over Queensland region (9.5-32oS - 132-158oE) was used. Simulations for period 1980-2009 were completed using spectral nudging at 6-hours interval from 50 km simulations (stage 1). Both stages of dynamical downscaling follow the Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX - http://www.cordex.org/ ) experimental protocol. The aim CORDEX is to use a coordinated approach to bridge the gap between the climate modelling community and end users of climate information across the globe by providing high-resolution climate change projections for regional scale adaptation. The following CMIP5 global climate model simulations of historical and future climate were downscaled in stage one and two: Australian CSIRO-BoM ACCESS1.0 and ACCESS1.3, US NCAR CCSM4, French CNRM-CM5, US NOAA GFDL-CM3, UK HadGEM2, Germany MPI-ESM-LR and Norway NorESM1-M. There is in total 9 models (8 distinct climate models and ensemble average). There are around 20 different variables for each model and 17 different derived changes (different 20 years long averaging periods into future eg. 2020, 2030..2090 per variable) In total around 3060 files with total size at this stage <10 Gb. This data represents projected changes from historical period eg. changes at 2050 represent difference between 2040-2059 - 1986-2005. In second stage we will release daily (frequency of data) data ~ 720Gb size and hourly data for selected variables.