Cumulative Distribution Functions (CDFs)

CDFs are line graphs that show the probability levels associated with different amounts of climate change, and can be produced using the UKCP09 User Interface (external website).

They can be produced for the Climate change projections and the Marine & coastal projections to show: 

• Projected climate change or (over land areas) projected future climate
• For one variable
• For one location
• For one time period
• For one temporal average
• For one, two or three emissions scenarios

CDFs can exported from the User Interface as images in various file formats (PDF, PS, PNG and JPG). The underlying values can be exported as a comma-separated variable (*.csv) and CF-netCDF format file. CSV files can be opened as a spreadsheet. 

• What should I use them for?

• To explore the probability level associated with a certain amount of climate change.
• To explore the amount of climate change associated with a certain cumulative probability level.
• To estimate the probability of projected change within user-defined intervals.

More details…

• What to be aware of

• A visual representation of the UKCP09 probability distributions.
• Assessing the evolution of changes through time.
• Mapping the spatial pattern of climate change.
• Evaluating the joint probability of changes in more than one variable.
• Understanding the implications of climate change on future daily climate.

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• Uncertainties

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