Abstract ID: 017
The Land Sub-project of S2S
Lead Author: Paul Dirmeyer
George Mason University, United States of America
Keywords: Sub-project talk: Land
Abstract: Anomalies in land surface states such as soil moisture, land temperature and snow cover are sources of predictability for the atmosphere at sub-seasonal time scales. Dry soils in particular can lead to increased likelihood and severity of droughts and heatwaves through positive feedbacks through a chain of physical processes linking the land, surface fluxes, hear surface meteorological variables, boundary layer properties, cloud formation and convection. Soil temperature anomalies, namely over elevated terrain, can trigger Rossby wave responses in the troposphere. Snow cover anomalies can cause an immediate radiative feedback and a delayed hydrologic impact. These feedbacks operate through both the water and energy cycles. One aspect of the International S2S Project involves monitoring and promoting progress in our ability to harvest this terrestrial source of predictability. Advances over the last half-decade and ongoing efforts will be discussed.
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