Motivation

The workshop  fills a need based on the following limitations of current downscaled climate-model prediction and projection research:

• Comparative studies of downscaling techniques to date are often initiated in relation to specific projects, are focused on limited sets of downscaling techniques, are based mostly on station or grid box spatial scales, “use different spatial domains, predictor variables, predictands and assessment criteria” (Fowler et al.  2007) from one another and hence do not allow for easy comparison of outcomes
• Many comparative studies are focused on areas other than the US.
• Existing information about the quality of downscaled datasets is not available in digital form
• Information about the chain of analysis used to produce downscaled datasets is not easily available to the end user by the time the data are used

There is a need for:

• Systematic evaluation of existing and to be developed downscaling methods using standard protocols which will allow for a fair comparison of their advantages and disadvantages with respect to specific user needs
• Evaluation  of appropriateness for use in specific regions within the US (mountainous regions, or areas with specific circulation characteristics – for example, monsoonal circulation, areas with contrasting climate characteristics, or areas of varying spatial extent) that are the focus of interest to practitioners
• Evaluation of specific variables/indices of interest as related to various sectors.  Eventually this will include variables beyond precipitaiton and temperature, including solar radiation, wind, snow, etc.
• Evaluation at specific temporal scales of interest to users, from annual to daily and eventually sub-daily scales.
• Publically available digital access to the above evaluations for practitioners in a given region or location
• Searchable information that describes downscaling methods and the chain of analysis used to produce it

[Fowler et al. , 2007- Review - Linking climate change modelling to impacts studies: recent advances in downscaling techniques for hydrological modelling. Int. J. Climatol., 27: 1547-1578]