The global atmospheric circulation connects any one region with all others. Southern Africa, in particular, is impacted by changes in the Atlantic, Indian and Southern Oceans, and also by El Niño and La Niña episodes in the tropical Pacific.  The impact varies from region to region in southern Africa because the subcontinent has strong gradients in topography, rainfall, soil moisture, vegetation, and sea surface temperature. Predicting climate fluctuations therefore requires a study of ocean-atmosphere-land interactions over a spectrum of spatial scales.

Research questions being addressed include the following

1. How do gradients in the land surface and neighbouring oceans in the southern African region influence the climate and its variability?
2. At what scales of space and time do these gradients need to be represented in models for improved climate prediction?
3. How do these gradients interact with climate modes like ENSO and climate change to modify impacts at the regional and local scale?
4. What determines the onset and characteristics of the main rainy season and of wet and dry spells within it?
5. What factors contribute to extreme events and changes in the frequency and intensity of these events?
6. What is the relative importance of local versus remote forcing for southern African climate?