Developing Metrics to Evaluate the Skill and Credibility of Downscaling

Within the climate science community, a variety of techniques are used to “downscale” information from global climate models and produce fine-scale projections of future climate, but the relative strengths and weaknesses of these techniques are not well-understood. In this project, funded by the US Department of Energy, we are collaborating with partners from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Pacific Northwest National Lab, and Santa Clara University to compare downscaling techniques and establish best practices. This work is critical to ensuring that climate change adaptation decisions are made using the highest-quality, most physically credible information available.