A main focus of research efforts at HRC is on development of accurate hydrologic models to simulate, estimate, and predict channel flow and river discharge. However, hydrologic modeling at HRC involves a broad range of atmospheric and land surface processes including surface and air temperature, evapo-transpiration, soil moisture, snowmelt, overland flow and ground infiltration, precipitation process and methods of precipitation estimation. Past and current research at HRC focuses on precipitation processes such as cloud and rainfall microphysics, spatial and temporal variability of convection, and other convective processes. HRC’s hydrologic models are used for real-time flash flood warning, channel and river discharge prediction out to 90 days, as well as historical and future climate simulations spanning decades.
HRC develops and employs statistical and dynamical weather, climate, and hydrologic models to understand global and regional climate variability on seasonal to paleoclimatic time scales, to improve seasonal and longer term forecasts, and to understand the fundamental mechanisms of climate change in past, present, and future climate scenarios. Besides hydrology, modeling studies at HRC have focused on the thermal structure and circulation of the oceans and atmosphere, ocean waves, the ENSO cycle, land surface/atmosphere interactions, and ties between climate, human health and hydrology.
Selected Articles and Publications can be seen on the PUBLICATIONS page.