Zavadoff et al. (2026) How Predictable Was the Extreme Precipitation Preceding the May 2019 Arkansas River Floods?

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Geophysical Research Letters
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-09-30
• Authors: Breanna L. Zavadoff, Robert West, Hosmay Lopez, Kun Gao, Lucas Harris
• DOI: 10.1029/2026gl125408

Research Groups

• University of Colorado Boulder
• National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)

Short Summary

This study investigates the role of atmospheric rivers (ARs) in extreme rainfall events over the central United States, highlighting their predictability on extended timescales.

Objective

• Investigate the relationship between ARs and extreme precipitation events in the central US

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Continental-scale analysis focusing on the central US region
• Temporal Scale: 2019 event with a focus on predictability at 2-week leads

Methodology and Data

• Models used: SHiELD ensemble hindcasts
• Data sources: Satellite, observation, reanalysis data (not specified)

Main Results

• ARs contributed to the Arkansas River flooding in May 2019
• Cross-Pacific Rossby wave trains can provide a forecast of opportunity for extended predictability of ARs and extreme precipitation over the central US

Contributions

• Original value lies in demonstrating the potential for cross-Pacific Rossby wave trains as a predictive tool for ARs and extreme precipitation events, extending existing literature on AR predictability.

Funding

• Not specified

Citation

@article{Zavadoff2026How,
  author = {Zavadoff, Breanna L. and West, Robert and Lopez, Hosmay and Gao, Kun and Harris, Lucas},
  title = {How Predictable Was the Extreme Precipitation Preceding the May 2019 Arkansas River Floods?},
  journal = {Geophysical Research Letters},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1029/2026gl125408},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2026gl125408}
}