UROP Project

Meteorology, Rainfall, Florida, Rainy Season, Regional Climate Model, Climate Change

Research Mentor: Dr. Jayasankar Chempampadam Balasubramannian,
Department, College, Affiliation: Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies (COAPS), N/A
Contact Email: jcb@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators: Prof. Vasubandhu Misra
Faculty Collaborators Email: vmisra@fsu.edu

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Students with some background in computer programming and a reasonable GPA in math and physics (3.25 or higher) will be preferred.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 8,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Friday. Sept 6, from 1.45 pm to 2.15 pm, Zoom: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/4296397708

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 wet 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 wet season more effectively. Prior studies suggest that an earlier onset of the wet 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 wet season across Florida using rainfall obtained from high-resolution regional climate model simulations. Our initial goal is to validate the regional climate model by evaluating its ability to accurately replicate the observed relationships between the onset date, the length of the wet season, and total rainfall. Following this validation, we will estimate projected changes in the onset and retreat of the wet season, as well as the seasonal length and accumulated rainfall. These insights will be valuable for future adaptation and mitigation planning.

Research Tasks: This research involves data collection (rainfall data from regional climate model), analysis, and visualization. All tasks can be done remotely by using any computer. Research students will learn any one or more visualization or data analysis packages (e.g. Python, Matlab, NCL and GrADS) during the research period. Research student will investigate the variability and the projected changes of the onset and retreat date of Florida. Research students will have the opportunity to interact with other team members to discuss/present the research outputs.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Recommended: Interest in meteorology/atmospheric science, computer programming (python), data analysis, visualization/plotting
Required: Be prepared to learn some Python