This paper presents two recent improvements on the current version of the three-layer variable infiltration capacity (VIC-3L) model. One is to include the infiltration excess runoff generation mechanism in the variable infiltration capacity (VIC) by considering effects of subgrid spatial soil heterogeneities, which is consistent with the VIC’s earlier subgrid spatial variability treatment for t...

This study addresses the role of soil moisture and its interaction with the overlying atmosphere in setting up climate anomalies over South America during El Niño years using observations as well as Atmospheric General Circulation Model (AGCM) simulations. It is found that during summertime land–atmosphere interaction is instrumental in setting the spatial pattern and sign of surface air temper...

Strongly coupled data assimilation emulates the real-world pairing of the atmosphere andocean by solving the assimilation problem in terms of a single combined atmosphere–ocean state. A significant challenge in strongly coupled variational atmosphere–ocean data assimilation is a priori specification of the cross covariances between the errors in the atmosphere and ocean model forecasts. These c...