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- A51H-01: Subseasonal Variability of Humid Heat During the South Asian Summer Monsoon (invited)
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NOLA CC
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Catherine Ivanovich, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (First Author, Presenting Author)
Radley Horton, Columbia Climate School, Columbia University
Adam Sobel, Columbia University
Deepti Singh, Washington State University
The combination of high heat and humidity poses greater risks to human health, productivity, and well-being relative to elevated temperatures alone. South Asia has already experienced some of the most extreme humid heat observed on Earth. Typically, the highest temperatures in South Asia occur during the pre-monsoon season in March-May. While the precipitation and cloudiness associated with the summer monsoon reduce extreme air temperatures, the increased humidity can contribute to the occurrence of extreme humid heat events. Our research finds that a majority of extreme Tw events across South Asia happen on rainy days during the monsoon season. This is especially true for regions where surface humidity is typically low during the monsoon season, and Tw tends to be higher during heavier than usual precipitation spells and during years when the monsoon season starts earlier in the calendar year. In regions with high background surface humidity, however, Tw is more intense when there is less precipitation than usual or when the monsoon onset is delayed. These results help to identify additional times with high risk of heat stress for outdoor workers, and provide a new way of understanding how monsoon variations influence local humid heat.
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