Central American

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Central American collaborative interests in
NAME Jorge A. Amador Centro de Investigaciones
Geofísicas Universidad de Costa Rica 6-7
November 2003
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NORTH AMERICAN MONSOON EXPERIMENT (NAME)
HYPOTHESIS The NAMS provides a physical basis for
determining the degree of predictability of warm
season precipitation over the region.
Topographic and Sea-Land Influence

• OBJECTIVES
• Better understanding and
• simulation of
• warm season convective
• processes in complex terrain
• (TIER I)
• intra-seasonal variability of
• the monsoon (TIER II)
• response of warm season
• circulation and precipitation
• to slowly varying boundary
• conditions (SST, soil
• moisture) (TIER III)
• monsoon evolution and
• variability (TIER I, II, III).

Intra-seasonal Variability
Boundary Forcing?
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NAME objectives (2004). Extended Observation
Period (EOP) and several Intense Observation
Periods (IOP) EOP starting date is June 15 end
date for the EOP will be August 21 It has been
proposed that 20 IOPs be conducted within the
EOP. During the IOPs it is proposed that 6
radiosonde observations per day be taken at some
sites.
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Intensity of the jet is ENSO associated
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ECAC 2001 (Warm Pools Climatic Experiment)
UNAM, UCR, (IAI-CRN 073)
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SSE
E
SSE
E
NE
SE
SE
E
NE
NNE
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E
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JJA (1960-1999)
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Relationship between the Caribbean and the
eastern Pacific climate
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X
X
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Importance of the Caribbean Low Level Easterly
Jet in the westward and northward transfer of
properties (momentum and moisture,
...) interaction of the low-level jet with
easterly waves,
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SSE
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E
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NNE
Soundings Pilot balloons
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E
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The Belize and Costa Rica SMNs could provide the
balloons and hydrogen for the observations but
require the extra sounding systems to shift from
a once daily to a twice daily schedule. These
institutions could also cover the costs
associated with field personnel We need to
enhance the upper air observations (the large
scale forcing, Tier III) for operational
activities during NAME 2004.