Most extreme precipitation in the densely populated region of central India is produced by atmospheric vortices called monsoon lows and monsoon depressions. Here we use satellite and gauge-based precipitation estimates with atmospheric reanalyses to …
The science of mountainous hydrology spans the atmosphere through the bedrock and inherently crosses physical and disciplinary boundaries: land-atmosphere interactions in complex terrain enhance clouds and precipitation, while watersheds retain and …
The distribution of land and ocean on Earth’s surface shapes the global atmospheric circulation and climate by modulating fluxes of water and energy between the surface and the atmosphere. Here we rearranged land in an idealized climate model to …
Reduced terrestrial evaporation directly warms the surface by reducing latent cooling, but also indirectly modifies surface climate by altering atmospheric processes. We use a global climate model to explore two end cases of terrestrial evaporation, …
Monsoon low pressure systems (LPS) are synoptic-scale disturbances that form along the quasi-stationary trough of the larger-scale South Asian summer monsoon, producing a large fraction of total monsoon precipitation. Here, we use an Earth system …
Transient atmospheric vortices called monsoon low pressure systems (LPS) generate a large fraction of total rainfall over South Asia and often produce extreme precipitation. Here, we assess the influence of these storms on the occurrence of …
Heatwaves damage societies worldwide and are intensifying with global warming. Several mechanistic drivers of heatwaves, such as atmospheric blocking and soil moisture-atmosphere feedback, are well-known for their ability to raise surface air …
Future climate simulations feature pronounced spatial shifts in the structure of tropical rainfall. We apply a novel atmospheric energy flux analysis to diagnose late 21st century tropical rainfall shifts in a large ensemble of simulations of 21st …
Shifts in the position of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) have great importance for weather, climate, and society. The ITCZ shifts have been extensively studied in current and future warmer climate; however, little is known for its …
Tipping elements are components of the Earth system which may respond nonlinearly to anthropogenic climate change by transitioning toward substantially different long-term states upon passing key thresholds or “tipping points.” In some cases, such …