The Indian Monsoon: Atmospheric Dynamics, Aerosol and the Ocean

The Indian Monsoon occurring between the months of May to September is the major source of rainfall for more than 800 million people. While the Indian Monsoon occurs every year, there are substantial year-to-year variations in its geographic structure, local onset dates, and the amount of rainfall the monsoon brings. It is important to understand the factors that lead to these variations to improve predictive capability for the Indian Monsoon and to enable adaptation planning by governments and communities. A major field campaign was held in India in May-July 2016 and took novel measurements of many components of the monsoon system, with an overall aim of improving our ability to forecast and to understand interactions between aerosols and the monsoon. Speakers at this meeting will discuss recent advances in understanding the Indian Monsoon system and its prediction using numerical models and observations, including new insights provided by the recent field campaign.