Future shift in winter streamflow modulated by internal variability of climate in southern Ontario

Abstract. Fluvial systems in southern Ontario are regularly affected by widespread early-spring flood events primarily caused by rain-on-snow events. Recent studies have shown an increase in winter floods in this region due to increasing winter temperature and precipitation. Streamflow simulations are associated with uncertainties tied to the internal variability of climate. These uncertainties can be assessed using hydrological models fed by downscaled Global Climate Model Large Ensemble (GCM-LE) data. The Canadian Regional Climate Model Large Ensemble (CRCM5-LE), a dynamically downscaled version of a GCM-LE, was developed to simulate climate variability over northeastern North America under different future climate scenarios. In this study, CRCM5-LE temperature and precipitation projections under RCP 8.5 scenario were used as input in the Precipitation Runoff Modelling System (PRMS) to simulate near future (2040s) streamflow for four watersheds in southern Ontario. Model simulations show that 14 % of the ensemble project a high (low) increase of streamflow volume in January-February. Streamflow increases may be driven by rain and snowmelt modulation caused by the development of high (low) pressure anomalies in North America’s East Coast. Additionally, the streamflow may be enhanced by high pressure circulation patterns directly over the Great Lakes creating warm conditions and increasing snowmelt and rainfall/snowfall ratio (16 %). These results are important to assess the internal variability of the hydrological projections and to inform society of increased winter streamflow.