News From the Field

Study offers clues to better rainfall predictions


May 6, 2016

This material is available primarily for archival purposes. Telephone numbers or other contact information may be out of date; please see current contact information at media contacts.

Seawater salinity depends largely on how much moisture is evaporated as winds sweep over the ocean. But pinpointing where the moisture rains back down is a complicated question scientists have long contended with. Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have found a potential path to better seasonal rainfall predictions. Their study shows a clear link between higher sea-surface salinity levels in the north Atlantic and increased rainfall on land in the African Sahel.Full Story

Source
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

The U.S. National Science Foundation propels the nation forward by advancing fundamental research in all fields of science and engineering. NSF supports research and people by providing facilities, instruments and funding to support their ingenuity and sustain the U.S. as a global leader in research and innovation. With a fiscal year 2023 budget of $9.5 billion, NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 40,000 competitive proposals and makes about 11,000 new awards. Those awards include support for cooperative research with industry, Arctic and Antarctic research and operations, and U.S. participation in international scientific efforts.

mail icon Get News Updates by Email 

Connect with us online
NSF website: nsf.gov
NSF News: nsf.gov/news
For News Media: nsf.gov/news/newsroom
Statistics: nsf.gov/statistics/
Awards database: nsf.gov/awardsearch/

Follow us on social
Twitter: twitter.com/NSF
Facebook: facebook.com/US.NSF
Instagram: instagram.com/nsfgov