Statistical Analysis of Climate Extremes

The risks posed by climate change and its effect on climate extremes are an increasingly pressing societal problem. This book provides an accessible overview of the statistical analysis methods which can be used to investigate climate extremes and analyse potential risk. The statistical analysis methods are illustrated with case studies on extremes in the three major climate variables: temperature, precipitation, and wind speed. The book also provides datasets and access to appropriate analysis software, allowing the reader to replicate the case study calculations. Providing the necessary tools to analyse climate risk, this book is invaluable for students and researchers working in the climate sciences, as well as risk analysts interested in climate extremes.

1. Introduction; 2. Data; 3. Methods; 4. Floods and droughts; 5. Heatwaves and cold spells; 6. Hurricanes and other storms; Appendix A. Climate measurements; Appendix B. Natural climate archives; Appendix C. Physical climate models; Appendix D. Statistical inference; Appendix E. Numerical techniques; Appendix F. Data and software; Appendix G. List of symbols and abbreviations; References; Index.

Manfred Mudelsee is founder of the research company Climate Risk Analysis, and a visiting scientist at the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research. His research focuses on how climate change is related to extreme climate and weather. He is a member of the European Geosciences Union and International Association for Mathematical Geosciences.