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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 33, L06705, doi:10.1029/2005GL025393, 2006

Variations in annual global precipitation (1979–2004), based on the Global Precipitation Climatology Project 2.5° analysis

Thomas M. Smith

National Climate Data Center, NOAA, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
Cooperative Institute for Climate Studies, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA


Xungang Yin

Cooperative Institute for Climate Studies, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA


Arnold Gruber

Cooperative Institute for Climate Studies, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA


Abstract

The Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) has produced a combined satellite and in situ global precipitation estimate, beginning 1979. The annual average GPCP estimates are here analyzed over 1979–2004 to evaluate the large-scale variability over the period. Data inhomogeneities are evaluated and found to not be responsible for the major variations, including systematic changes over the period. Most variations are associated with El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) episodes. There are also tropical trend-like changes over the period, correlated with interdecadal warming of the tropical SSTs and uncorrelated with ENSO. Trends have spatial variations with both positive and negative values, with a global-average near zero.

Received 2 December 2005; accepted 6 February 2006; published 18 March 2006.

Index Terms: 1616 Global Change: Climate variability (1635, 3305, 3309, 4215, 4513); 1640 Global Change: Remote sensing (1855); 1655 Global Change: Water cycles (1836).

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Citation: Smith, T. M., X. Yin, and A. Gruber (2006), Variations in annual global precipitation (1979–2004), based on the Global Precipitation Climatology Project 2.5° analysis, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L06705, doi:10.1029/2005GL025393.