Mahdinia et al. (2026) The Impact of Lakes in North American Regional Climate Simulations

Identification

• Journal: Journal of Climate
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-06-26
• Authors: Mani Mahdinia, Andre R. Erler, Yiling Huo, W. R. Peltier
• DOI: 10.1175/jcli-d-25-0146.1

Research Groups

• University of Toronto, Physics Department
• Aquanty Inc.
• Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Short Summary

This study assesses the impact of North American lakes on regional climate patterns and evaluates the performance of three column lake models within a regional climate simulation context.

Objective

• Assess the efficacy of three column lake models in regional climate simulations
• Determine the influence of North American lakes on regional climate patterns

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Regional scale, covering North America
• Temporal Scale: 1979–2019 period, with a focus on annual and seasonal variability

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model coupled online with three different lake models
• Data sources: ERA5 reanalysis for initial and boundary conditions, observational datasets for validation

Main Results

• The relative performance of the lake models in reproducing lake surface ice cover and temperature was evaluated.
• A general cooling effect of lakes, reaching up to 2.5 K, and an increase in local precipitation, up to 25 %, on an annual basis were observed.
• However, for some larger lakes, a reduction in summer precipitation was also noted.

Contributions

• This study provides new insights into the impact of North American lakes on regional climate patterns and evaluates the performance of three column lake models.
• The results can be used to improve regional climate simulations and better understand the role of lakes in modulating climate variability.

Funding

• This research was funded by [projects, programs, and reference codes].

Citation

@article{Mahdinia2026Impact,
  author = {Mahdinia, Mani and Erler, Andre R. and Ng, Ka Hei and Huo, Yiling and Peltier, W. R.},
  title = {The Impact of Lakes in North American Regional Climate Simulations},
  journal = {Journal of Climate},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1175/jcli-d-25-0146.1},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1175/jcli-d-25-0146.1}
}