Collaborative Research: Extreme Rainfall in South Asia--Mechanisms of Variability

NSF Award Search · 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT · $862,940 · view on nsf.gov ↗

Abstract

Extreme rainfall events in South Asia affect over a billion people, causing floods that devastate agriculture, infrastructure, and communities. While scientists have long known that El Nino events typically reduce Indian monsoon rainfall, this project reveals a surprising paradox: in India's wettest regions, extreme rainfall events actually become more frequent during El Nino years, even as total seasonal rainfall decreases. Such different responses of average and extreme rainfall challenge our understanding of the underlying dynamics that relate global climate variability to regional precipitation. The research thus contributes to basic science understanding of global climate variability and regional precipitation while also addressing practical issues of water resource management, agricultural planning, and disaster preparedness across South Asia, where rainfall extremes directly impact food security and economic stability. The project focuses specifically on the pathways through which El Nino events influence extreme rainfall through their effects on Low Pressure Systems (LPSs), the weather systems responsible for much of India's intense rainfall. The work addresses three main objectives: (1) documenting how LPSs change in response to climate variability using decades of satellite and ground-based observations; (2) developing a mechanistic understanding of how large-scale atmospheric conditions control the formation, movement, and intensity of LPSs; and (3) evaluatin

Key facts

NSF award ID
2437878
Awardee
Columbia University (NY)
SAM.gov UEI
F4N1QNPB95M4
PI
Michela Biasutti
Primary program
01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
All programs
Estimated total
$862,940
Funds obligated
$862,940
Transaction type
Standard Grant
Period
09/01/2025 → 08/31/2028