Articles | Volume 8, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-8-719-2017
https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-8-719-2017
Research article
 | 
21 Aug 2017
Research article |  | 21 Aug 2017

Comparison of land surface humidity between observations and CMIP5 models

Robert J. H. Dunn, Kate M. Willett, Andrew Ciavarella, and Peter A. Stott

Data sets

HadISDH land surface multi-variable humidity and temperature record for climate monitoring (http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadisdh/ and http://catalogue.ceda.ac.uk/uuid/251474c7b09449d8b9e7aeaf1461858f) K. M. Willett, R. J. H. Dunn, P. W. Thorne, S. Bell, M. de Podesta, D. E. Parker, P. D. Jones, and C. N. Williams Jr. https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-10-1983-2014

The ERA-Interim reanalysis: Configuration and performance of the data assimilation system (https://www.ecmwf.int/en/research/climate-reanalysis/era-interim) D. Dee et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.828

The Met Office Unified Model Global Atmosphere 3.0/3.1 and JULES Global Land 3.0/3.1 configurations (http://catalogue.ceda.ac.uk/list/?return_obj=ob&id=14472,14473,14470,14471) D. N. Walters, M. J. Best, A. C. Bushell, D. Copsey, J. M. Edwards, P. D. Falloon, C. M. Harris, A. P. Lock, J. C. Manners, C. J. Morcrette, M. J. Roberts, R. A. Stratton, S. Webster, J. M. Wilkinson, M. R. Willett, I. A. Boutle, P. D. Earnshaw, P. G. Hill, C. MacLachlan, G. M. Martin, W. Moufouma-Okia, M. D. Palmer, J. C. Petch, G. G. Rooney, A. A. Scaife, and K. D. Williams https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-4-919-2011

An Overview of CMIP5 and the Experiment Design (http://cmip-pcmdi.llnl.gov/cmip5/) K. E. Taylor, R. J. Stouffer, and G. A. Meehl https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-11-00094.1

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Short summary
We compare the latest observations of relative and specific humidity with those from climate models. The climate models do not accurately reproduce the observed humidity behaviour for the last 15–20 years. We use the temporal, spatial and trend information to contrast the patterns exhibited by the observations and models. The temporal behaviour of the observations has previously been documented and is consistent with faster warming rates over land compared to oceans.
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