Dr. Linda Hirons
Research Scientist NCAS
Web Pages:
Group: http://www.met.reading.ac.uk/~tropical
My Research: http://www.met.reading.ac.uk/~linda
Research Interests:
- Drivers of climate variability and change in Africa
- Sub-seasonal to seasonal predictability
- Tropical convection, e.g., the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), monsoon systems
- Co-production of weather and climate services for society
Current Research Projects:
- GCRF African Science for Weather Information and Forecasting Techniques (SWIFT) (2017-present): Develop sustainable African weather forecasting capability, to enhance the livelihood of African populations and improve the economies of their countries. Co-lead of Sub-seasonal to seasonal (S2S) workpackage.
Past Research Projects:
- IMPALA: Improving Model Processes for African cLimAte (2015-2018): Understanding the major modes of global climate variabilty and the teleconnection pathways by which they drive African rainfall variability.
- Future Weather (2012-2016) : Examining how air-sea interactions affect sub-seasonal variability and the projections of changes in regional weather and climate extremes.
- Climate Science Services Partnership (CSSP)- China project (2014-2015) : Understanding drivers of sub-seasonal variability in the East Asian Summer Monsoon.
- Bay of Bengal Boundary Layer Experiment (BoBBLE) (2015) : Understanding the process which control sub-seasonal monsoon variability in the Asian Summer monsoon.
Other interests
- I was recently commissioned by DfID (Department for International Development) to produce a series of reports on the impact of the 2015/16 El Niño and potential 2016/17 La Niña events on low- and middle-income countries across regions of Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
- I was part of the team who developed the ocean mixed-layer coupled configuration of the Met Office Unified Model MetUM-GOML
- I spent time in 2011-2012 as a visiting scientist in the Meteorolgy and Climate Science department at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana.
Centaur Publications
2023
Hirons, L. 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1189-7576, Wainwright, C. M., Nying'uro, P., Quaye, D., Ashong, J., Kiptum, C., Opoku, N. K., Thompson, E. M. and Lamptey, B.
(2023)
Experiences of co-producing sub-seasonal forecast products for agricultural application in Kenya and Ghana.
Weather, 78 (5).
pp. 148-153.
ISSN 1477-8696
doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/wea.4381
2022
Dione, C., Talib, J., Bwaka, A. M., Kamga, A. F., Bita Fouda, A. A., Hirons, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1189-7576, Latt, A., Thompson, E., Lingani, C., Indasi, V., Adefisan, E. A. and Woolnough, S. J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0500-8514
(2022)
Improved sub-seasonal forecasts to support preparedness action for meningitis outbreak in Africa.
Climate Services, 28.
100326.
ISSN 2405-8807
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cliser.2022.100326
Maybee, B., Ward, N., Hirons, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1189-7576 and Marsham, J.
(2022)
Importance of Madden–Julian Oscillation phase to
the interannual variability of East African rainfall.
Atmospheric Science Letters.
ISSN 1530-261X
(In Press)
Gudoshava, M., Wainwright, C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7311-7846, Hirons, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1189-7576, Endris, H. S., Segele, Z. T., Woolnough, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0500-8514, Atheru, Z. and Artan, G.
(2022)
Atmospheric and oceanic conditions associated with early and late onset for eastern Africa short rains.
International Journal of Climatology, 42 (12).
pp. 6562-6578.
ISSN 0899-8418
doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.7627
Gudoshava, M., Wanzala, M., Thompson, E., Mwesigwa, J., Endris, H. S., Segele, Z., Hirons, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1189-7576, Kipkogei, O., Mumbua, C., Njoka, W., Baraibar, M., de Andrade, F., Woolnough, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0500-8514, Atheru, Z. and Artan, G.
(2022)
Application of real time S2S forecasts over Eastern Africa in the co-production of climate services.
Climate Services, 27.
100319.
ISSN 2405-8807
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cliser.2022.100319
Visman, E., Hirons, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1189-7576, Todd, M., Mwangi, E., Dione, C., Gudoshava, M., Otieno, G., Ahiataku, M., Quaye, D., Lawal, K., Talib, J., Fletcher, J., Diop, A., Diedhiou, T., Ndiaye, D., Oloniyan, E., Nying'uro, P., Kiptum, C., Kilavi, M., Adefisan, E., Indasi, V., Waruru, S., Taylor, A. and Woolnough, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0500-8514,
(2022)
Institutionalising co-production of weather and climate services: Learning from the African SWIFT and ForPAc projects.
GCRF African SWIFT Policy Briefs.
Report.
University of Leeds
Dyer, E., Hirons, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1189-7576 and Teferi Taye, M.
(2022)
July-September rainfall in the Greater Horn of Africa: the combined influence of the Mascarene and South Atlantic highs.
Climate Dynamics.
ISSN 0930-7575
doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-022-06287-0
Parker, D. J., Blyth, A. M., Woolnough, S. J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0500-8514, Dougill, A. J., Bain, C. L., de Coning, E., Diop-Kane, M., Foamouhoue, A. K., Lamptey, B., Ndiaye, O., Ruti, P., Adefisan, E. A., Amekudzi, L. K., Antwi-Agyei, P., Birch, C. E., Cafaro, C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8063-4887, Carr, H., Chanzu, B., Clarke, S. J., Coskeran, H., Danuor, S. K., de Andrade, F. M., Diakaria, K., Dione, C., Diop, C. A., Fletcher, J. K., Gaye, A. T., Groves, J. L., Gudoshava, M., Hartley, A. J., Hirons, L. C., Ibrahim, I., James, T. D., Lawal, K. A., Marsham, J. H., Mutemi, J. N., Okogbue, E. C., Olaniyan, E., Omoshoto, J. B., Portuphy, J., Roberts, A. J., Schwendike, J., Segele, Z. T., Stein, T. H. M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9215-5397, Taylor, A. L., Taylor, C. M., Warnaars, T. A., Webster, S., Woodhams, B. J. and Youds, L.
(2022)
The African SWIFT project: growing science capability to bring about a revolution in weather prediction.
Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 103 (2).
pp. 349-369.
ISSN 1520-0477
doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-20-0047.1
2021
Hirons, L., Woolnough, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0500-8514, Dione, C., Thompson, E., de Andrade, F., Talib, J., Konte, O., Diedhiou, T., Quaye, D., Opoku, N., Lawal, K., Olaniyan, E., Nying'uro, P., Kiptum, C., Gudoshava, M., Phillips, L., Youds, L., Parker, D. and Blyth, A.,
(2021)
Exploiting sub-seasonal forecast predictability in
Africa: a key to sustainable development.
Report.
University of Leeds, Leeds.
doi: https://doi.org/10.5518/100/72
Endris, H. S., Hirons, L., Segele, Z. T., Gudoshava, M., Woolnough, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0500-8514 and Artan, G. A.
(2021)
Evaluation of the skill of monthly precipitation forecasts from global prediction systems over the Greater Horn of Africa.
Weather and Forecasting, 36 (4).
pp. 1275-1298.
ISSN 0882-8156
doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-20-0177.1
Hirons, L., Thompson, E., Dione, C., Indasi, V. S., Kilavi, M., Nkiaka, E., Talib, J., Visman, E., Adefisan, E. A., de Andrade, F., Ashong, J., Mwesigwa, J. B., Boult, V. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7572-5469, Diédhiou, T., Konte, O., Gudoshava, M., Kiptum, C., Amoah, R. K., Lamptey, B., Lawal, K. A., Muita, R., Nzekwu, R., Nying'uro, P., Ochieng, W., Olaniyan, E., Opoku, N. K., Endris, H. S., Segele, Z., Igri, P. M., Mwangi, E. and Woolnough, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0500-8514
(2021)
Using co-production to improve the appropriate use of sub-seasonal forecasts in Africa.
Climate Services, 23.
100246.
ISSN 2405-8807
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cliser.2021.100246
Muita, R. R., Dougil, A. J., Mutemi, J., Aura, S., Graham, R., Awolala, D. O., Nkiaka, E., Hirons, L. and Opijah, F. (2021) Understanding the role of user needs and perceptions related to sub-seasonal and seasonal forecasts on farmers decisions in Kenya: a systematic review. Frontiers in climate, 3. 580556. ISSN 2624-9553 doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fclim.2021.580556
de Andrade, F. M., Young, M. P., MacLeod, D., Hirons, L. C., Woolnough, S. J. and Black, E. (2021) Subseasonal precipitation prediction for Africa: forecast evaluation and sources of predictability. Weather and Forecasting, 36 (1). pp. 265-284. ISSN 0882-8156 doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-20-0054.1
Taye, M. T., Dyer, E., Charles, K. J. and Hirons, L. C. (2021) Potential predictability of the Ethiopian summer rains: understanding local variations and their implications for water management decisions. Science of the Total Environment, 755 (Part 1). 142604. ISSN 0048-9697 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142604
Lawal, K., A., Olaniyan, E., Ishiyaku, I., Hirons, L., C., Thompson, E., Talib, J., Boult, V. L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7572-5469, Ogungbenro, S. B., Gbode, E. I., Ajayi, V. O., Okogbue, E. C., Adefisan, E., A., Indasi, V., S., Youds, L., Nkiaka, E., Stone, D. A., Nzekwu, R., Folorunso, O., Oyedepo, J., A., New, M., G. and Woolnough, S. J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0500-8514
(2021)
Progress and challenges of demand-led co-produced sub-seasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) climate forecasts in Nigeria.
Frontiers in climate, 3.
712502.
ISSN 2624-9553
doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fclim.2021.712502
2019
Wainwright, C. M., Hirons, L. C., Klingaman, N. P., Allan, R. P., Black, E. and Turner, A. G. (2019) The impact of air-sea coupling and ocean biases on the seasonal cycle of southern West African precipitation. Climate Dynamics, 53 (11). pp. 7027-7044. ISSN 0930-7575 doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-019-04973-0
2018
Hirons, L. and Turner, A. (2018) The impact of Indian Ocean mean-state biases in climate models on the representation of the East African short rains. Journal of Climate, 31 (16). pp. 6611-6631. ISSN 1520-0442 doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-17-0804.1
Hirons, L. C., Klingaman, N. P. and Woolnough, S. J. (2018) The impact of air–sea interactions on the representation of tropical precipitation extremes. Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems, 10 (2). pp. 550-559. ISSN 1942-2466 doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/2017MS001252
2016
Hirons, L. and Klingaman, N., (2016) El Niño 2015/2016 impact analysis, monthly outlook March 2016. Report. Evidence on Demand, UK. doi: https://doi.org/10.12774/eod_cr.march2016.hironsletal3
Hirons, L. and Klingaman, N., (2016) El Niño 2015/2016 impact analysis, monthly outlook February 2016. Report. Evidence on Demand doi: https://doi.org/10.12774/eod_cr.february2016.hironsletal3
Hirons, L. and Klingaman, N., (2016) La Niña 2016/2017: historical impact analysis. Report. Evidence on Demand doi: https://doi.org/10.12774/eod_cr.february2016.hironsetal4
Hirons, L. and Klingaman, N., (2016) El Niño 2015/2016 impact analysis, monthly outlook January 2016. Report. Evidence on Demand doi: https://doi.org/10.12774/eod_cr.december2015.hironsletal2
2015
Hirons, L. and Klingaman, N., (2015) El Niño 2015/2016 impact analysis, monthly outlook December 2015. Report. Evidence on Demand doi: https://doi.org/10.12774/eod_cr.december2015.hironsletal1
Hirons, L. and Klingaman, N., (2015) El Niño 2015/2016 impact analysis, monthly outlook November 2015. Report. Evidence on Demand doi: https://doi.org/10.12774/eod_cr.november2015.hironsletal
Hirons, L. and Klingaman, N., (2015) El Niño 2015/2016: impact analysis of past El Niños. Report. Evidence on Demand doi: https://doi.org/10.12774/eod_cr.august2015.hironsletal
Hirons, L.C., Klingaman, N.P. and Woolnough, S.J. (2015) MetUM-GOML: a near-globally coupled atmosphere–ocean-mixed-layer model. Geoscientific Model Development, 8. pp. 363-379. ISSN 1991-962X doi: https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-363-2015
2013
Hirons, L. C., Inness, P., Vitart, F. and Bechtold, P. (2013) Understanding advances in the simulation of intraseasonal variability in the ECMWF model. Part I: the representation of the MJO. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 139 (675). pp. 1417-1426. ISSN 1477-870X doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.2060
Hirons, L. C., Inness, P., Vitart, F. and Bechtold, P. (2013) Understanding advances in the simulation of intraseasonal variability in the ECMWF model. Part II: the application of process-based diagnostics. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 139 (675). pp. 1427-1444. ISSN 1477-870X doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.2059
2012
Hirons, L. (2012) Understanding advances in the simulation of the Madden-Julian Oscillation in a numerical weather prediction model. PhD thesis, University of Reading.
Last update: 30th January 2019
