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Table 2 Relative precipitation changes (%) in the CMIP5 models on the whole Antarctic continent (up to the pole), peripheral areas, and the interior of the ice sheet

From: Evaluation of current and projected Antarctic precipitation in CMIP5 models

Scenario

Number of models

Mean

Minimum

Maximum

Continent (up to the pole)

RCP2.6

29 / 10

5.5 / 7.4

−6.5 / 2.5

15.5 / 13.3

RCP4.5

39 / 13

10.8 / 13.1

−4.9 / 5.1

21.9 / 21.9

RCP6.0

20 / 7

12.5 / 14.8

−3.0 / 7.4

26.2 / 26.2

RCP8.5

38 / 13

24.5 / 29.3

1.8 / 17.9

43.0 / 37.5

Peripheral areas (surface elevation \(<\) 2250 m)

RCP2.6

29 / 10

5.1 / 6.9

-6.2 / 2.3

14.4 / 12.6

RCP4.5

39 / 13

10.0 / 12.2

-4.7 / 4.5

20.8 / 20.8

RCP6.0

20 / 7

11.4 / 13.5

-2.8 / 6.6

24.6 / 24.6

RCP8.5

38 / 13

22.6 / 27.0

1.6 / 16.5

39.5 / 32.8

Interior of the ice sheet (surface elevation \(>\) 2250 m)

RCP2.6

29 / 10

7.8 / 9.6

−7.8 / 3.4

19.3 / 16.6

RCP4.5

39 / 13

14.5 / 16.9

−6.2 / 7.8

30.1 / 28.0

RCP6.0

20 / 7

17.6 / 20.4

−4.0 / 11.4

35.6 / 33.9

RCP8.5

38 / 13

33.1 / 39.6

2.8 / 25.8

59.0 / 56.8

  1. The changes are calculated between the period 1986–2005 in the Historical scenario and the period 2080–2099 in the RCP scenarios. The relative precipitation changes for the models which simulate a snowfall rate close to the CloudSat snowfall rate (±20 %) on the Antarctic continent north of 82°S, during the period 1986–2005, are written in italic