UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #792

Overall Research Project Description Florida has a distinct wet season that plays a crucial role in meeting the state's annual water needs and beyond. Our previous research with observation datasets has revealed that, along with seasonal rainfall anomalies, the length of the wet season significantly contributes to its variability across Florida. Additionally, variations in the onset date of the rainy season are closely related to anomalies in both the length of the season and total accumulated rainfall. Given Florida's distinct seasonal cycle of precipitation and its year-to-year fluctuations, we have been motivated to explore methods to monitor the evolution of the rainy season more effectively. Prior studies suggest that an earlier onset of the rainy season often leads to a wetter or longer season, while a delayed onset may result in a drier or shorter season, indicating a predictive relationship between onset dates and seasonal length and total rainfall. The primary objective of this study is to accurately identify the onset and retreat of the rainy season across Florida using rainfall obtained from high-resolution regional climate model simulations. We aim to validate this regional climate model by assessing its ability to replicate the observed relationships between the onset date, the length of the season, and the total rainfall, thereby enhancing our predictive capabilities regarding the state's wet season dynamics.