Model SSP2.45
This scenario assumes that carbon emissions will stay near current levels. Emissions are projected to increase until 2050 and gradually begin to decline.
Our visualization displays the Average Monthly Precipitation in California (mm/day) from two different CMIP6 climate models: SSP2.45 (zero mitigation) and SSP1.26 (aggressive mitigation). We chose a bar plot to clearly convey quantitative comparisons across months.
To enable straightforward comparison between the two models, we split them into two separate bar graphs, arranged side-by-side. This avoids visual clutter issues that one bar graph would have, whilst making it easier to compare seasonal precipitation patterns within each model. Additionally, we chose to use blue and orange to render SSP2.45 and SSP1.26 respectively to create a clear visual contrast while also reflecting their underlying meaning. The blue in the zero-mitigation scenario symbolizes the current state of conditions, while the orange in the aggressive-mitigation scenario conveys urgency and intensity. This color pairing also accommodates colorblind viewers, ensuring clear distinction between the two models. Additional context for each of the models are provided to the user in the subtitle, outlining whether it is for zero mitigation or aggressive mitigation respectively.
Initially, we considered using a choropleth or geospatial map of California to visualize changes in precipitation spatially. However, we determined that a bar graph was a better choice for this dataset because our focus was on quantitative trends rather than spatial variation. The bar charts also allowed us to represent numeric detail (e.g., exact mm/day) more precisely and in a more accessible format.
We implemented interactive features to enhance both exploration and analysis. Each feature allows users to examine the data at multiple levels, from overall patterns to precise values.
Tooltip and Hover: Provides precise quantitative information without cluttering the visualization. When users hover over a bar, the tooltip shows the exact average monthly precipitation value for that month, year, and model, rather than estimating from the plot's gridlines.
Slider Bar: Allows users to adjust the displayed year on both plots simultaneously, enabling users to directly observe changes in monthly precipitation patterns over time and compare trends across the two climate scenarios.
By combining overview and detail-on-demand, the tooltip and slider bar help users engage with the data more deeply, facilitating insight into patterns, variability, and differences between the climate scenarios. Both features also help streamline the visualization, making them easier for users to interpret.
The work was split as such:
All team members participated initial brainstorming, feature debugging, and finalization of the project.
In total, we spent about 25 hours total (including meetings) to produce the current project and implement full functionality. Each feature/step took approximately:
The aspect that took the most time was exploratory data analysis. Due to the complexity of the CMIP6 dataset, we struggled with navigating the dataset to get to information that we were interested in (precipitation, month, year, and model). Once the data was cleaned and structured properly, implementing the visualization and interactions proceeded smoothly.