Tropical extremes:
A workshop on high-impact weather events in monsoon regions
April 16-17, 2015
Yale University, New Haven, CT
Organizer: William Boos, william.boos@yale.edu
Sponsored by the Yale Climate and Energy Institute and Yale’s MacMillan Center
Motivation and goals
Monsoons are seasonal, continental-scale atmospheric circulations that deliver water to billions of people in Africa, South Asia, Australia, and the tropical Americas. Monsoon variability is of great societal importance, and the most severe impacts come from extreme events such as intense storms or prolonged drought. For example, floods associated with storms called monsoon depressions killed hundreds to thousands of people in South Asia in four of the past seven years.
Despite the importance of monsoon rainfall, there is no established theory that explains the observed variabil- ity of monsoons, and the computer models that forecast short-term weather and long-term climate struggle with accuracy in the tropics. Furthermore, the scientific community that studies monsoons is fragmented, with the African, Asian, Australian, and American monsoons each studied by largely separate groups of researchers. Communication and evaluation of monsoon forecasts is similarly fragmented, with some regions having well-developed meteorological services while others lack even routine monitoring of current precipitation.
This workshop will convene a group of leaders with expertise in the fundamental science, prediction, and social impacts of climate extremes in monsoon regions. Science foci include:
• Monsoon depressions in Asia, Australia, and the tropical West Pacific
• African easterly waves
• Summertime intraseasonal variability, such as the Madden-Julian Oscillation
Attendees will be drawn from the community of researchers with expertise in the monsoons of Africa, South Asia, Australia, and the tropical Americas. The general goal of the workshop is to improve dialogue between the research, forecast, and social impacts communities, and between specialists in different geographic regions. Possibilities for future collaboration will be explored.
Registration
Registration is required, at no cost, to assure adequate space and food for attendees. Please send an email to the workshop organizer indicating that you will attend.
Workshop Schedule
Thursday, April 16:
Talks and open discussion on observations, theory, and numerical modeling of synoptic and intraseasonal monsoon disturbances
Workshop Dinner
Friday, April 17:
Talks and open discussion on predictions and social impacts of extreme weather events in monsoon regions
Breakout group discussions on science, predictions, and social impacts
Getting to Yale
New Haven can be reached from several airports: Laguardia and JFK are about 1.5 hours away by car, while Newark is almost 2 hours by car. Traffic can increase these travel times substantially. Bradley airport in Hartford, CT is another option, and Tweed airport in New Haven is a small airport with flights to and from Philadelphia.
New Haven is on the Amtrak line that runs between Boston and New York City, and it is also connected with Manhattan by the MetroNorth commuter rail.
Lodging
New Haven hotel rooms can be difficult to find in April due to the many collegiate events that happen in the weeks leading up to commencement. For this reason, a block of rooms will be reserved for workshop attendees. Details will be sent to registered attendees by email, and will be posted here at a later date.
Travel Support
A very limited amount of travel support may be available due to funding from the Yale Climate and Energy Institute and the MacMillan Center. Only partial travel grants will be awarded, primarily to those who would not otherwise be able to attend. To request travel support, please send an email to the conference organizer with a brief statement of your work and educational background and your reason for requesting support.
