2. Factors Controlling the Climate of the West Coast of North America 39
change as Bakun postulated, and the model actually predicts reduced
upwelling along the west coast of North America (and most other
upwelling regions as well). In the open ocean, the equatorial and subpolar
zonal upwelling bands generally weaken as the winds diminish, due to the
reduced equator-to-pole surface temperature gradient. However, the
spatial resolution of GCMs is still poor, and the pressure differences are
small. The results do point out the need to consider the globally connected
climate system in estimating climate response to external forcing.
Conclusions
The climate of the west coast of North America results from the interactions of large-scale atmospheric circulation systems (the westerlies and
the subtropical highs) with the ocean and the mountains along the coast.
These climates demonstrate variability on a variety of time and space
scales. Upwelling is a near-coastal phenomenon related to regional winds
that has important effects on the ocean biology as well as the local
climate. Variations in large-scale regional precipitation indices over British
Columbia also show long-term differences that may be related to seasurface temperature variations across the Pacific basin. It is important to
recognize the interaction of scales of variability and regional differences
of the upwelling and all other air-sea interaction phenomena. Studies
should also be conducted in cooperation with other projects that are
being developed to optimize the use of resources and gain the benefits of
multiparticipant and multidisciplinary research.
Acknowledgments. The scientific work reported here was undertaken at
the University of British Columbia in cooperation with R.A.S. Hourston
and G. Thomas and was supported by grants from the Atmospheric
Environment Service of Environment Canada, B.C. Hydro, and the B.C.
Ministry of Environment.
References
Bakun, A. 1990. Global climate change and intensification of coastal ocean
upwelling. Science, 247, 198-201.
Beardsley, R.C., Dorman, C.E ., Friehe, C.A., Rosenfeld, L.K. , and Winant,
C.D. 1987. Local atmospheric forcing during the Coastal Ocean Dynamics
Experiment. 1. A description of the marine boundary layer and atmospheric
conditions over a northern California upwelling region. J Geophys Res, 92,
1467-1488 .
Beardsley, RC., and Lentz, S.J. 1987. The coastal ocean dynamics experiment
collection: An introduction. J Geophys Res, 92, 1455-1463.
Breaker, L.c. 1989. EI Nino and related variability in sea-surface temperature
along the central California coast. In D.H. Peterson (ed.) , Aspects of Climate
Variability in the Pacific and the Western Americas. American Geophysical
Union, Geophys Monog, 55, 133-140.
change as Bakun postulated, and the model actually predicts reduced
upwelling along the west coast of North America (and most other
upwelling regions as well). In the open ocean, the equatorial and subpolar
zonal upwelling bands generally weaken as the winds diminish, due to the
reduced equator-to-pole surface temperature gradient. However, the
spatial resolution of GCMs is still poor, and the pressure differences are
small. The results do point out the need to consider the globally connected
climate system in estimating climate response to external forcing.
Conclusions
The climate of the west coast of North America results from the interactions of large-scale atmospheric circulation systems (the westerlies and
the subtropical highs) with the ocean and the mountains along the coast.
These climates demonstrate variability on a variety of time and space
scales. Upwelling is a near-coastal phenomenon related to regional winds
that has important effects on the ocean biology as well as the local
climate. Variations in large-scale regional precipitation indices over British
Columbia also show long-term differences that may be related to seasurface temperature variations across the Pacific basin. It is important to
recognize the interaction of scales of variability and regional differences
of the upwelling and all other air-sea interaction phenomena. Studies
should also be conducted in cooperation with other projects that are
being developed to optimize the use of resources and gain the benefits of
multiparticipant and multidisciplinary research.
Acknowledgments. The scientific work reported here was undertaken at
the University of British Columbia in cooperation with R.A.S. Hourston
and G. Thomas and was supported by grants from the Atmospheric
Environment Service of Environment Canada, B.C. Hydro, and the B.C.
Ministry of Environment.
References
Bakun, A. 1990. Global climate change and intensification of coastal ocean
upwelling. Science, 247, 198-201.
Beardsley, R.C., Dorman, C.E ., Friehe, C.A., Rosenfeld, L.K. , and Winant,
C.D. 1987. Local atmospheric forcing during the Coastal Ocean Dynamics
Experiment. 1. A description of the marine boundary layer and atmospheric
conditions over a northern California upwelling region. J Geophys Res, 92,
1467-1488 .
Beardsley, RC., and Lentz, S.J. 1987. The coastal ocean dynamics experiment
collection: An introduction. J Geophys Res, 92, 1455-1463.
Breaker, L.c. 1989. EI Nino and related variability in sea-surface temperature
along the central California coast. In D.H. Peterson (ed.) , Aspects of Climate
Variability in the Pacific and the Western Americas. American Geophysical
Union, Geophys Monog, 55, 133-140.