Listicle: Why Different Climate Models Give Different Results

12/23/20220 min read

1. Difference in grid cell size and/or spatial resolution

2. Difference in gridding techniques

3. Difference in size of time steps

4. Difference in computational power

5. Number of climatic processes included in inputs

6. Uncertainties inherent in parameterisation

7. Errors in bias correction

8. Inherent chaos of climate system

9. Difference in quality of forecasts input into the model

10. Rarity of climate process sought to be projected for

11. Uncertainties and difficulties associated with

a. Clouds

b. Double ITCZ

c. Jet streams

12. Human error?

Reference: CarbonBrief. (2018). ‘Q&A: How do climate models work?’ https://www.carbonbrief.org/qa-how-do-climate-models-work