Credit: The long rains bring life by Lutz Merbold (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

Simulating the convective environment for driving East African storms at the kilometre scale

The monsoon affects large parts of East Africa during two rainy seasons as the intertropical convergence zone passes by. While it is less studied than its West African counterpart, it is no less important for the local population, both for water supply and in damages from extreme events. The Lake Victoria region, for example, is a hive of economic activity, especially fishing, but suffers many intense convective storms.

We already know that convective-scale models can better simulate the diurnal cycle timing and intensity of rainfall in East Africa, and the local circulations involved in the initiation of storms. This PhD will seek to understand the scale interactions between large-scale drivers such as equatorial waves, the Madden-Julian Oscillation or Indian Ocean dipole and the convective environment over East Africa in which storms develop. We will aim to answer the question: Is the kilometre scale necessary to predict extremes in East African rainfall?

The student will use tools such as the new ensemble of pan-African convection-permitting model experiments to assess how large-scale drivers alter the convective environment and test the improvement as resolution is increased to the kilometre scale. Working with the NCAS National Capability International Programme, the student will track mesoscale convective systems and make comparisons with observed systems, before assessing how the mechanisms behind scale interactions work, testing aspects of the convective environment such as windshear, temperature structure and surface conditions.

This PhD will contribute towards better forecasting of hazardous weather events.

Supervisors

The supervisory team is Andy Turner, Linda Hirons, Eliza Karlowska and Steve Woolnough.

Who can apply?

This project is part of the AFESP scheme at University of Reading.

Studentship awards from the University of Reading will cover tuition fees, research-training costs and a stipend for up to four years to cover living costs, on similar terms to the PhD funding offered by UK Research & Innovation. This call is open to applicants worldwide, with additional support for international students to help with costs of visas, access to UK healthcare and travel.

How to apply

See the detailed instructions here. The deadline is Sunday 13 January 2025.

Other projects

A list of other open under the AFESP scheme can be found here.