Atmospheric rivers (ARs) play a key role in the water cycle as the primary mechanism conveying water vapor through mid-latitude regions. The precipitation that ARs deliver in many parts of the world, especially through orographic precipitation processes, is important for water resources; but it also regularly is a hazard, with floods resulting. The aims of the 2016 International Atmospheric Rivers Conference are
  • to discuss and identify differing regional perspectives and conditions from around the world,
  • to evaluate the current state and applications of the science of the mid-latitude atmospheric water cycle, with particular emphasis on atmospheric rivers and associated or parallel processes (e.g., tropical moisture exports),
  • to assess current forecasting capabilities and developing applications, and
  • to plan for future scientific and practical challenges.

The conference aims to bring together experts from academia and applications to form a real community of interests. Questions on the table include: What meteorological conditions constitute ARs and what do not? How can ARs (and related processes) best be identified and categorized? What are the most promising new research directions for putting AR science into its proper meteorological/climatological context and improving its applicability?


This depiction of an atmospheric river, interacting with West Coast mountains and a midlatitude cyclone over the northeast Pacific on 5 February 2015, provides an example of approximate locations of associated tropical moisture exports and a warm conveyor belt (WCB). Credit: Adapted from NOAA/ESRL Physical Sciences Division. Source: EOS Meeting Report
Please click here for EOS article summarizing the 2015 International Atmospheric Rivers Workshop

Please click here to view abstracts and presentations from the 2016 IARC

Conference Dates are Monday 8 August 2016 through Thursday 11 August 2016
  • Synopsis:
    The 2016 International Atmospheric Rivers Conference will convene at 8am on Monday 8 August 2016 in the beautiful Robert Paine Scripps Forum at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. Four full days of presentations will cover global regional perspectives on atmospheric river science including associated and parallel processes. A poster session will be held late Tuesday afternoon and will be followed by a buffet dinner on Tuesday evening (lasting until approximately 8pm). Other conference days are expected to end at approximately 5pm.
  • Provided:
    The registration fee will include lunch, a morning snack and an afternoon snack. The poster session with include appetizers and drinks (late Tuesday afternoon) and will be followed by a buffet dinner (Tuesday evening - at the Scripps Forum). Continental breakfast will be provided Thursday morning (the last day of the Conference).
  • Registration:
    Registration is now open and is done via EventBrite.
    Please click here to register

    The full conference registration fee is $495. EventBrite charges a $9.95 processing fee and there is a 4% fee for credit card use. Registration must be done in advance and can not be done at the conference.

  • Suggested Accomodation:
    Hotel La Jolla is holding a select block of rooms at a special conference rate of $229 per night. This hotel is within a comfortable walking distance to the Forum and provides complimentary on-request shuttle service. The special rate is available starting Sunday, August 7, 2016, and lasts through Wednesday, August 10, 2016. You must book before July 7, 2016, to obtain the special conference rate. Please click here to learn more about the hotel.

    • To book directly on line please visit the web page:
      http://curiocollection3.hilton.com/en_US/qq/search/findhotels/index.htm

      Under choose destination select "Hotel La Jolla, Curio Collection by Hilton" and use the group code IARC (all capital letters).
    • If you qualify for government rates or have further questions please contact Amanda Campbell, Catering and Events Manager at Hotel La Jolla, directly. Amanda's phone number is (858) 551-3627. You can also e-mail Amanda: Amanda.Campbell@hotellajolla.com. If you need accomodation beyond the conference dates Amanda can work with you.

If you have questions or need more information about the conference please contact Anna Wilson: anna-m-wilson@ucsd.edu or Andrew Martin: mc@ucsd.edu.


International Organizing Committee
Allen White (NOAA ESRL/PSD; Co-Chair)
Irina Gorodetskaya (K.U. Leuven, Belgium; Co-Chair)
Andrew Martin (CW3E, Scripps; Co-Chair)
Maximiliano Viale (Universidad de Chile; Co-Chair)
Mike Dettinger (USGS, CW3E)
David Lavers (CW3E, Scripps)
Nina Oakley (Desert Research Institute)
F. Martin Ralph (CW3E, Scripps)
Jonathan Rutz (U.S. National Weather Service)
Ryan Spackman (Science and Technology Corporation)
Heini Wernli (ETH Zurich)

Please click here for the 2016 International Atmospheric Rivers Conference flier (postable pdf format) or here for a powerpoint slide

If you have an interest in ARs (or related topics) and a question about participating please contact Marty Ralph, Mike Dettinger, or David Lavers.

Conference will be held at the
Robert Paine Scripps Forum for Science, Society and the Environment at the
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
University of California, San Diego