Regional and Seasonal Influence of Cloud Radiative Effects on CMIP6 Model Climate Sensitivity

Recent analyses of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) models have shown higher climate sensitivities than previously reported, and this increase has been preliminary attributed to the simulation of anomalous Shortwave Cloud Radiative Effect (SWCRE) over the southern midlatitude regions. In this work, we further explore how the seasonal and annual SWCRE over different regions of the globe influence the model climate sensitivities. Our study suggests a significant contribution of SWCRE on climate sensitivities in both northern and southern midlatitudes; and the relationship remains robust across the seasons. Additionally, we assess the underlying physics of the inter-model spread to diagnose model biases. The results will contribute to quantify the severity of the Equilibrium Climate Sensitivity, as simulated by the CMIP6 models.