About the Lab
Welcome to the tropical climate dynamics research group at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)! We are interested in atmospheric and oceanic processes in the tropics and their interactions with higher latitudes. We study a variety of topics, including the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), marine atmospheric boundary layer clouds, the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), the Hadley circulation, equatorial waves, tropical cyclones, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and tropical-extratropical interactions. One of our primary goals is to improve understanding of observations of these complex phenomena using a hierarchy of models and observations. With this improved understanding, weather and climate prediction can be guided in the right direction.
We are also involved in science education and outreach, particularly at WHOI and in the local Cape Cod community. From bringing hands-on rotating tank climate science experiments to K–12 and college classrooms to mentoring middle- and high-school students and teachers on research projects, we strive to motivate a generation of future scientists.
Recent News
On January 13th, Alex was selected to become the next co-chair of the U.S. CLIVAR Process Study and Model Improvement Panel. Alex will serve a two-year term beginning in March 2026. Congrats, Alex!
On December 17th, Alex G, Fouzia, Alex K, and Indrani all co-authored a paper entitled, “We Need to Simulate More Northern ITCZs and Less Southern ITCZs Over the East Pacific Ocean in Coupled Climate Models” in the Journal of Geophphysical Research: Atmospheres: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025JD043650.
On December 14th, Chelone traveled to New Orleans, LA to attend the American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting to present her WHOI SSF and NSF SOARS summer research entitled, “The Effect of Upper Ocean Freshwater on the Rapid Intensification of Hurricane Lee.”
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The secret lives of big fish! 🦈
If you missed our #OceanEncounters live event on Wednesday, you can watch anytime online! Take a deep dive into the amazing world of ocean predators: https://hubs.li/Q0413G2W0
The secret lives of big fish! 🦈
If you missed our #OceanEncounters live event on Wednesday, you can watch anytime online! Take a deep dive into the amazing world of ocean predators: https://hubs.li/Q0413G2W0
Join us for Ocean Encounters TONIGHT at 7:30pm (ET) to learn more about the biggest fish in the ocean—and what they can teach us about ocean health.
👉 Register for this live virtual event: https://hubs.li/Q03_P8wv0
#OceanEncounters is an official event of the @UNOceanDecade
Join us for Ocean Encounters TONIGHT at 7:30pm (ET) to learn more about the biggest fish in the ocean—and what they can teach us about ocean health.
👉 Register for this live virtual event: https://hubs.li/Q03_P8wv0
#OceanEncounters is an official event of the @UNOceanDecade