Identifying Common Precursors of Decadal Vapor Pressure Deficit Variability in the Southwestern United States

Lou, Jiale; Joh, Youngji; Delworth, Thomas L.

doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-24-0296.1

i

Identifying Common Precursors of Decadal Vapor Pressure Deficit Variability in the Southwestern United States

Supporting Files

2025
By Lou, Jiale ; Joh, Youngji ; Delworth, Thomas L.
Source J. Climate, 38, 4553–4572
Available in CDC Stacks on 2026-03-01T00:00:00Z

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Journal Title:

Journal of Climate
Personal Author:

Lou, Jiale ; Joh, Youngji ; Delworth, Thomas L.
NOAA Program & Office:

OAR (Oceanic and Atmospheric Research) ; GFDL (Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory) ; CIMES (Cooperative Institute for Modeling the Earth System)
Description:

Atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (VPD) is a useful proxy for meteorological fire-prone conditions in the southwestern United States (SWUS). Here, we demonstrate that the leading VPD mode, with a pronounced decadal component, displays a center of action in the SWUS. In its dry phase, this mode is characterized by reduced soil moisture, high pressure systems, and La Niña–like conditions and connected to decadal sea surface temperature (SST) variability in the Pacific and Atlantic basins. Leveraging climate simulations, a backward model-analog technique reveals persistent SST signals a few seasons preceding the dry VPD mode. While state-of-the-art models can reasonably capture the spatial patterns of VPD, challenges emerge in representing the decadal component of the leading VPD mode, which predominantly arises from misrepresentations of the actual rather than saturation vapor pressure.
Keywords:
Source:

J. Climate, 38, 4553–4572
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-24-0296.1
Format:

PDF
Document Type:

Journal Article
Funding:

Grant no. NA22OAR4050664D
Place as Subject:

North America
Rights Information:

Other
Compliance:

Submitted
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/72614/noaa_72614_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 5.40 MB]
Collection(s):

Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) ; NOAA Cooperative Institutes
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha-512:b258371ba9bcf62486be8381bf092fd5fb01b9eba695d68fa6f5354cb0f094c34182f04845f5bd08673994ad024ab859e30f0d02212573e2edaefc2f3bf2391a

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