Abstract
In 1979, the year of the Global Weather Experiment, the atmosphere and ocean of the monsoon region were particularly well observed. For this reason, the onset period of the monsoon, 11–19 June 1979, was selected for international comparison of numerical prediction models1. Previous studies2–4 have demonstrated that successful predictions for this period are difficult to achieve. I report here two examples of numerical predictions that highlight the role of sea-surface temperatures, namely a control forecast using climatological sea-surface temperatures and an anomaly forecast using more realistic (and warmer) surface temperatures specified for the eastern Arabian Sea. It is shown that the use of the more accurate sea-surface temperatures enables a better prediction of the development of a monsoon depression to be obtained.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
