Detecting and attributing the fingerprint of anthropogenic climate change in long-term observed trends is an active area of research given its scientific and societal relevance. Though the science is well established for temperature related variables, the study of other climate indicators including hydrometeorological variables pose greater challenges due to their greater complexity and rarity (IPCC Fifth Assessment Report, WG1 Ch10, Bindhoff et al., 2013).

Complementary to this, assessing the extent to which extreme weather events and impacts are attributable to anthropogenic climate change is a rapidly developing science, with varying schools of thought and lack of consensus on methods for tackling this important topic. Once again, the attribution of hydrometeorological events, long-term trends in these events and/or their impacts is less straightforward than temperature-related events (BAMS, Herring et al., 2014).

This session solicits the latest studies from the spectrum of detection and/or attribution approaches. By considering studies over this wide range of temporal and spatial scales we aim to identify common/new methods, current challenges, and avenues for expanding the detection and attribution community. We particularly welcome submissions that contrast approaches, or address hydrometerological trends, extremes and/or impacts – all of which test the limits of the present science.