Hawaiian Islands 19 bioclimatic variables for baseline and future (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) climate scenarios

We integrated recent climate model projections developed for the State of Hawai’i with current climatological datasets to generate updated regionally defined bioclimatic variables. We derived updated bioclimatic variables from new projections of baseline and future monthly minimum, mean, and maximum temperature (Tmin, Tmean, Tmax) and mean precipitation (Pmean) data at 250 m resolution. We used observation-based data for the baseline bioclimatic variables from the Rainfall Atlas of Hawai’i. We used the most up-to-date dynamically downscaled future projections based on the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model from the International Pacific Research Center (IPRC) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). We summarized the monthly data from these two projections into a suite of 19 bioclimatic variables that provide detailed information about annual and seasonal mean climatic conditions specifically for the Hawaiian Islands. These bioclimatic variables are available state-wide for three climate scenarios: baseline climate (1990-2009) and future climate (2080-2099) under RCP 4.5 (IPRC projections only) and RCP 8.5 (both IPRC and NCAR projections). As Hawai’i is characterized by two 6-month seasons, we also provide mean seasonal variables for all scenarios based on the dry (May-October) and wet (November-April) seasonality of Hawaiian climate.