HYDERABAD: A University of Hyderabad (UoH) and UK’s University of Exeter collaborated study released on Monday uncovered for the first time that the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) decadal predictions can forecast climate processes with a lead of some years.
Decadal prediction is a newly emerging field for forecasting climate for 5-20 years. The information will help stakeholders in their strategising and decision-making.
For the research, UoH Prof. K. Ashok, his PhD student Feba Francis, and Prof. Satish Shetye, former chair professor of Centre for Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; collaborated with University of Exeter’s Prof. Mat Collins.
“A strong IOD is associated with meteorological events like heavy rainfall in India, while indicating drought or flood-like events in countries like Australia. This decadal prediction model though is still at a nascent stage,” Prof. Ashok told Deccan Chronicle.
He underlined that decadal prediction is feasible for regions in mid-latitudes. Conversely, it is poor for regions in tropics.
Though results are only indicative, newly released decadal predictions run with CMIP6 simulations within global community may show better decadal prediction results, given the improved models and larger number of observations that have been assimilated, Prof. Ashok added.
