Attribution of the june-july 2013 heat wave in the southwestern United States

Abstract

A severe heat wave occurred in the southwestern United States (US) during June and July 2013. To investigate the effects of natural variability and anthropogenic climate change on this event, we generated large ensemble simulations of possible weather using the MIROC5A climate model forced by "historical external forcing agents, sea surface temperature (SST) observations and sea ice (SIC) observations" both with and without human influence. It was suggested that both the anthropogenic warming and an atmospheric circulation regime related to the natural variability of SST and SIC made the heat wave event more likely. On the other hand, no significant human influence was found in atmospheric estimates of anthropogenic signals on SST and SIC.