Imagine if you knew not just tomorrow’s weather, but also if the next month is likely to be hotter, colder, wetter, or drier than normal.

Accurately predicting the potential for high-impact weather events over an entire season would transform our ability to respond to heatwaves, flooding rains, drought onset, wildfire risk, and other threats to society. Forecasts on this scale are highly sought after in various economic sectors including energy, water management, agriculture, and more. To meet this need, our researchers are focused on developing more accurate and useful seasonal-to-subseasonal (S2S) prediction capabilities that will empower communities to anticipate risks and make informed decisions.

S2S predictability sits at the intersection of weather and longer-term projections, and addressing the challenge requires deep knowledge of fundamental processes of Earth system predictability across disciplines and timescales. NSF NCAR is an ideal location for that range of experts to collaborate on this vital forecasting capability. Our researchers are also leveraging artificial intelligence to accelerate their coordinated, interdisciplinary research efforts.