Recently, the World Climate Research Program Grand Challenge Workshop on Clouds, Circulation and Climate Sensitivity identified the question of  “what controls the strength and position of tropical precipitation maxima?” as one for which concerted effort could lead to scientific breakthroughs and more reliable projections of future changes in climate patterns. This optimism stems from parallel advances in modeling ability, the availability of observations, and theoretical understanding.

To foster progress, this workshop will focus on modeling and theoretical understanding of the annual cycle of oceanic ITCZs and land monsoons  in the present climate, the past, and the future.

Coordinated simulations are proposed to explore the dynamics of the annual cycle of tropical rainfall in different climate states: present day, mid-holocene, and under global warming. Specifically, we aim to explore the relative roles of changes in radiative input and lower boundary conditions in inducing changes in the annual cycle of tropical land and ocean precipitation and to explore the extent and importance of the interaction between marine and continental environments.