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Introduction
We have pointed out in previous units on global climate modeling that very large computers
operating continuously for very long time periods are required to create simulations of the
earth's global climate. As more details of the climate system (e.g., ocean circulation, ocean-
ice dynamics, vegetation, etc.) are included in climate models, this computational burden becomes
even more severe. At the same time, the coarse resolution of global climate models (GCM's) does not allow
them to simulate local climate conditions that impact, say, details of snowfall in mountainous areas
that are important for recharge of reservoirs, or climate variations in the US Great Lakes region,
or the climate of coastal regions. In fact, global models at low resolution do not even include
the state of Florida on the North American landmass (see the outline of North America in a previous
graph).
