CR 54:85-93 (2012)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/cr01109

ABSTRACT: To evaluate the local effect of climate change over South Korea, a 5 km high-resolution climate scenario, based on general circulation model data to which a greenhouse gas scenario was applied, was created using SubBATS (a mosaic-type parameterization to account for subgrid-scale topography and land-use effects) from the regional climate model RegCM3. This high-resolution climate scenario shows that the simulated climatology is well reproduced both temporally and spatially. The results show an increase in annual temperature at 2 m over South Korea of approximately 4.6°C in the late 21st century. This increase is higher in winter and in September than at other times of year; the regional temperature increases, which are classified in 4 regions, display a variety of features. The temperature increase is significant in the regions with relatively low temperature. Yearly precipitation over South Korea is projected to show an overall increase of approximately 30% in the late 21st century. The precipitation increase is highest in August and varies by region. There is a close relationship between the precipitation increase and an increase in atmospheric water vapor. The rate of temperature increase grows with increasing altitude in all seasons. The increasing variation of precipitation is smaller with increasing altitude. Furthermore, the temperature and precipitation changes that accompany increasing altitude have a close relationship with the weakening of monsoons.

KEY WORDS: Regional climate change · Local effect · RegCM3 · Dynamic downscaling · South Korea