Abstract
This study examines projected changes in surface air temperature (SAT) and precipitation over mid–high latitudes of Eurasia during boreal spring in a 1.5/2°C warmer world (relative to pre‐industrial level) using historical, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 simulations from 16 climate models of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5. Results show that spatial patterns of spring SAT and precipitation changes over Eurasia in the 1.5/2°C warmer world relative to the current climate (1979–2005) are similar between the two RCPs, but with a slightly larger amplitude in the RCP8.5. Spring SAT warmings over Eurasia are faster than the global annual mean. Amplitudes of the spring Eurasian SAT warmings are larger over higher latitudes. An additional 0.5°C global warming leads to extra spring Eurasian SAT warmings, with the magnitude larger than 0.5°C. Changes in the spring maximum temperature are comparable to the mean temperature changes both in the 1.5 and 2°C warming targets. Significant increases in the mean and extreme precipitation are only seen over parts of Eurasia. An additional 0.5°C global warming does not lead to obvious changes in the mean and extreme spring precipitation. Further analyses show that there are large uncertainties in the projected changes in the inter‐annual variability of the Eurasian spring SAT and precipitation.