2022 International Atmospheric Rivers Conference Held in Santiago, Chile

October 31, 2022

Over the last decade, the study of atmospheric rivers (ARs) has blossomed across the globe including novel research in the polar regions (Irina Gorodetskaya and many others), high mountain Asia (Deanna Nash), Mexico (Hėctor A. Inda Díaz), and Australia (Kimberley Reid). In 2021, there was a record number of publications–99–with the word “atmospheric rivers” in the title. In the United States, AR research including the AR Reconnaissance program along with Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations are highlighted in NOAA’s Priorities for Weather Research report. This set the stage for the long-anticipated fourth version of the International Atmospheric River Conference (IARC) held in Santiago, Chile from October 10-14, 2022. The goal of this conference was to advance the state of AR science (dynamics, impacts, monitoring, forecasts, and climate projections) by providing a forum to a growing community of researchers and practitioners.

CW3E helped support IARC 2022 hosted by the IARC committee led by René Garreaud (University of Chile), Anna Wilson (CW3E), Marty Ralph (CW3E), Alexandre Ramos (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany), and Irina Gorodetskaya (CIIMAR – Interdisciplinary Centre for Marine and Environmental Research, Portugal). The conference had 81 attendees in person, and 114 virtually using the Whova platform. The conference included exciting special sessions on polar atmospheric rivers led by Irina Gorodetskaya and the socio-economic impacts of atmospheric rivers led by Tom Corringham.

Thirteen CW3E researchers attended and presented on a range of topics from using tree rings to reconstruct 440 years of extreme precipitation in Northern California (Cody Poulsen) to using aircraft reconnaissance observations to better forecast atmospheric rivers (Anna Wilson, Minghua Zheng). Sam Bartlett, Jay Cordeira, Brian Kawzenuk, Deanna Nash, Zhenhai Zhang, Alison Cobb, Luca Delle Monache, and Minghua Zheng attended the conference virtually. Marty Ralph, Anna Wilson, Cody Poulsen, Tom Corringham, and Sarah Ogle attended the conference in person and enjoyed exploring Santiago with their fellow atmospheric river scientists from around the world. CW3E would especially like to thank all of the Chilean scientists for welcoming us to their country and showing us around Santiago including touring the University of Chile, hiking up San Cristóbal Hill, and eating delicious food (empanadas, ceviche, sandwiches, etc.). The next IARC will be held in La Jolla, California, and hosted by CW3E, as with the first one in 2016.

In-person attendees of the International Atmospheric Rivers Conference

Conference attendees enjoy a hike and spring weather in the beautiful foothills of the Andes mountains.

Conference attendees including many graduate students enjoy the view of Santiago on top of San Cristóbal Hill.