2015 US-Taipei Severe Weather and Extreme Precipitation Workshop in Taiwan

University Corporation For Atmospheric Res, Boulder CO

Investigators

Abstract

A delegation of Taiwan Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) came to the United States (U.S.) for a bilateral science and technology (S&T) meeting in July 2014. Attending were National Science Foundation (NSF) program directors of geosciences. As a result of this visit, MOST and NSF are organizing three workshops in Taiwan between May 29 and May 31, 2015. These are: workshop on Earth Science and Mountain Building, one on Engineering Science and Photonics, and the third one on Atmospheric Science and Meteorology. This project is to support U.S. scientists to participate in the Meteorology workshop. The topics include: 1. Severe weather (e.g., hurricane/typhoon, flash flood, etc.) observation and forecasting; 2. Orographic induced precipitation and mesoscale storm systems; 3. WRF and data assimilation system applications. JOSS requests funds to send selected U.S. scientists to Taiwan for the workshop. Intellectual merit The U.S. and Taiwan have been cooperating in research aimed at understanding the dynamics and societal effects of extreme precipitation events, earth system modeling and the COSMIC radio occultation satellite science missions. The workshop will be the latest in a decades-long collaboration that has resulted in enhanced scientific understanding of these areas of science. Broader impacts The U.S. and Taiwan have both experienced severe precipitation events for many decades. These events cause local flash flooding, property damage and, occasionally, loss of lives. The enhanced ability to understand the dynamics of these extreme events and the subsequent ability to provide better and more timely forecasting to the general public will materially reduce the negative societal effects of local flooding and property damage, and may result in fewer lives lost.