Wenhong Li | Scholars@Duke

Wenhong Li
Associate Professor of Climate

Dr. Li's research interests focus primarily on climate dynamics, land-atmosphere interaction, hydroclimatology, and climate modeling. Her current research is to understand how the hydrological cycle changes in the current and future climate and their impacts on the ecosystems, subtropical high variability and change, unforced global temperature variability, and climate and health issues.

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Associate Professor of Climate, Earth and Ocean Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment 2016

Contact Information

5113 Environment Hall, Durham, NC 27708
Box 90328, Durham, NC 27708-0328
wenhong.li@duke.edu (919) 684-5015
https://nicholas.duke.edu/people/faculty/li

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology 2003
Duke Appointment History
- Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering 2013 - 2018
- Assistant Professor of Climate, Earth and Ocean Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment 2009 - 2016
Recognition
In the News
- SEP 5, 2017 ScienceNewsLine
  
  WARMER WORLD MAY BRING MORE LOCAL, LESS GLOBAL, TEMPERATURE VARIABILITY
- SEP 5, 2017 ScienceDaily
  
  Warmer world may bring more local, less global, temperature variability
- SEP 4, 2017 Nature
  
  Climate variability: Picking apart climate models
- SEP 4, 2017
  
  WARMER WORLD MAY BRING MORE LOCAL, LESS GLOBAL, TEMPERATURE VARIABILITY
- FEB 9, 2016
  
  Greenhouse gases fuelling long-term global warming
- FEB 2, 2016
  
  Did the climate spin out of control on its own?
- FEB 2, 2016
  
  Duke-NASA study confirms global temperature does not rise or fall chaotically in long run
- FEB 2, 2016
  
  Global Warming is Stable: Scientists
- FEB 2, 2016
  
  Global warming not driven by natural forces: study
- FEB 2, 2016
  
  LONG-TERM GLOBAL WARMING REQUIRES EXTERNAL DRIVERS
- FEB 2, 2016
  
  Study confirms global warming not driven by natural forces
- AUG 23, 2015
  
  Climate Avenger Wenhong Li: The Water Watcher
- APR 22, 2015 WNCN
  
  Duke study finds 'natural variability' impacts global warming
- APR 22, 2015 Science 2.0
  
  Temperature records study shows climate models underestimate magnitude of natural climate wiggles
- APR 21, 2015
  
  Global Warming More Moderate Than Worst-Case Models
- JAN 28, 2015 Environmental News Network
  
  Study analyzes variability of climate models
- NOV 20, 2013
  
  Framework Could Improve Southeast Rainfall Forecasts
- NOV 11, 2013
  
  News Tip: Experts Available to Comment on U.N. Climate Conference
Awards & Honors
- Marie Tharp Fellowship. Columbia University. 2013
Expertise
Subject Headings
Global Scholarship
- Research
Research
Selected Grants
- Improved Observation of Effects of Hydrology and micro-topography on Belowground awarded by North Carolina State University 2015 - 2018
- Benchmarking climate model top-of-atmosphere radiance in the 9.6 ozone band compared to TES and IASI observations awarded by National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2015 - 2017
- Heat Waves, Medication Use, and Adverse Health Outcomes Among Older Adults awarded by National Institutes of Health 2013 - 2017
- Collaborative Research: Understanding Long-Term Variability in the North Atlantic awarded by National Science Foundation 2012 - 2016
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Journal Articles
  - Zhu, J, Sun, G, Li, W, Zhang, Y, Miao, G, Noormets, A, McNulty, SG, King, JS, Kumar, M, & Wang, X. (2017, December 13). Modeling the potential impacts of climate change on the water table level of selected forested wetlands in the southeastern United States. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences , 21 (12), 6289-6305. Full Text
  - Maxwell, R, Harley, G, Maxwell, J, Rayback, S, Pederson, N, Cook, E, Barclay, D, Li, W, & Rayburn, J. (2017, June 30). An interbasin comparison of tree-ring reconstructed streamflow in the eastern United States. Hydrological Processes , 31 (13), 2381-2394. Full Text
  - Wei, W, Li, W, Deng, Y, Yang, S, Jiang, JH, Huang, L, & Liu, WT. (2017, June 10). Dynamical and thermodynamical coupling between the North Atlantic subtropical high and the marine boundary layer clouds in boreal summer. Climate Dynamics , 1-13. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Brown, PT, Ming, Y, Li, W, & Hill, SA. (2017, January). Change in the magnitude and mechanisms of global temperature variability with warming. Nature climate change , 7 , 743-748. Full Text
  - Brown, PT, Li, W, Jiang, JH, & Su, H. (2016, December 21). Spread in the magnitude of climate model interdecadal global temperature variability traced to disagreements over high-latitude oceans. Geophysical research letters , 43 (24), 12543-12549. Full Text
  - Brown, PT, Lozier, MS, Zhang, R, & Li, W. (2016, April 28). The necessity of cloud feedback for a basin-scale Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. Geophysical Research Letters , 43 (8), 3955-3963. Full Text
  - Brown, PT, Li, W, Jiang, JH, & Su, H. (2016, February). Unforced Surface Air Temperature Variability and Its Contrasting Relationship with the Anomalous TOA Energy Flux at Local and Global Spatial Scales*. Journal of Climate , 29 (3), 925-940. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Gao, H, Zhang, S, Fu, R, Li, W, & Dickinson, RE. (2016). Interannual Variation of the Surface Temperature of Tropical Forests from Satellite Observations. Advances in Meteorology , 2016 , 1-11. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Li, F, Chen, D, Tang, Q, Li, W, & Zhang, X. (2016). Hydrological Response of East China to the Variation of East Asian Summer Monsoon. Advances in Meteorology , 2016 , 1-12. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Tang, T, Li, W, & Sun, G. (2016). Impact of two different types of El Niño events on runoff over the conterminous United States. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences , 20 (1), 27-37. Full Text
  - Zheng, J, Sun, G, Li, W, Yu, X, Zhang, C, Gong, Y, & Tu, L. (2016). Impacts of land use change and climate variations on annual inflow into the Miyun Reservoir, Beijing, China. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences , 20 (4), 1561-1572. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Yuan, J, Li, W, & Deng, Y. (2015, October 1). Amplified subtropical stationary waves in boreal summer and their implications for regional water extremes. Environmental Research Letters , 10 (10), 104009-104009. Full Text
  - Li, W, Li, L, , Deng, & Y, . (2015, July 24). Impact of the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation on Tropical Cyclone Activity in the North Atlantic and Eastern North Pacific. Scientific Reports , 5 . Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Li, L, & Li, W. (2015, July). Thermodynamic and dynamic contributions to future changes in regional precipitation variance: focus on the Southeastern United States. Climate Dynamics , 45 (1-2), 67-82. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Li, L, Li, W, & Jin, J. (2015, July). Contribution of the North Atlantic subtropical high to regional climate model (RCM) skill in simulating southeastern United States summer precipitation. Climate Dynamics , 45 (1-2), 477-491. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Li, Laifang, , Li, W, Ballard, Tristan, , Ge Sun, , Jeuland, & Marc, . (2015, July). CMIP5 model simulations of Ethiopian Kiremt-season precipitation: current climate and future changes. Climate Dynamics , 46 (9-10), 2883-2895. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Park, T-W, Deng, Y, Li, W, Yang, S, & Cai, M. (2015, June). Mass Footprints of the North Pacific Atmospheric Blocking Highs. Journal of Climate , 28 (12), 4941-4949. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - ◦Brown, P.T., W. Li, E.C. Cordero, & S.A. Mauget, . (2015, April 21). Comparing the Model-Simulated Global Warming Signal to Observations Using Empirical Estimates of Unforced Noise. Scientific Reports , 5 . Open Access Copy
  - Brown, PT, Li, W, & Xie, S-P. (2015, January 27). Regions of significant influence on unforced global mean surface air temperature variability in climate models. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres , 120 (2), 480-494. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Li, L, Li, W, & Jin, J. (2015). Contribution of the North Atlantic subtropical high to regional climate model (RCM) skill in simulating southeastern United States summer precipitation. Climate Dynamics , 45 (1-2), 477-491. Full Text
  - Li, L, Li, W, Tang, Q, Zhang, P, & Liu, Y. (2015). Warm season heavy rainfall events over the Huaihe River Valley and their linkage with wintertime thermal condition of the tropical oceans. Climate Dynamics , 46 (1), 1-12. Full Text Link to Item
  - Tang, T, Li, W, & Sun, G. (2015). Impact of two different types of El Niño events on runoff over the conterminous United States. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions , 12 (9), 8977-9002. Full Text
  - Li, L, Li, W, & Jin, J. (2014, October). Improvements in WRF simulation skills of southeastern United States summer rainfall: physical parameterization and horizontal resolution. Climate Dynamics , 43 (7-8), 2077-2091. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Brown, PT, Li, W, Li, L, & Ming, Y. (2014, July 28). Top-of-atmosphere radiative contribution to unforced decadal global temperature variability in climate models. Geophysical Research Letters , 41 (14), 5175-5183. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Yin, L, Fu, R, Zhang, Y-F, Arias, PA, Fernando, DN, Li, W, Fernandes, K, & Bowerman, AR. (2014, March 16). What controls the interannual variation of the wet season onsets over the Amazon?. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres , 119 (5), 2314-2328. Full Text
  - Li, L, & Li, W. (2014). Thermodynamic and dynamic contributions to future changes in regional precipitation variance: focus on the Southeastern United States. Climate Dynamics , 45 (1-2), 67-82. Full Text
  - Wuebbles, D, Meehl, G, Hayhoe, K, Karl, TR, Kunkel, K, Santer, B, Wehner, M, Colle, B, Fischer, EM, Fu, R, Goodman, A, Janssen, E, Lee, H, Li, W, Long, LN, Olsen, S, Sheffield, J, & Sun, L. (2014). CMIP5 Climate Model Analyses: Climate Extremes in the United States. The Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society . Open Access Copy
  - Li, L, & Li, W. (2013, December 1). Southeastern United States summer rainfall framework and its implication for seasonal prediction. Environmental Research Letters , 8 (4), 044017-044017. Full Text
  - Li, W, Li, L, Fu, R, Deng, Y, & Wang, H. (2013, November 30). Comments on 'Influences of the Bermuda High and atmospheric moistening on changes in summer rainfall in the Atlanta, Georgia region, USA'. International Journal of Climatology , 33 (14), 3083-3085. Full Text
  - Li, W, Li, L, Ting, M, Deng, Y, Kushnir, Y, Liu, Y, Lu, Y, Wang, C, & Zhang, P. (2013, November 28). Intensification of the Southern Hemisphere summertime subtropical anticyclones in a warming climate. Geophysical Research Letters , 40 (22), 5959-5964. Full Text
  - Fu, R, Yin, L, Li, W, Arias, PA, Dickinson, RE, Huang, L, Chakraborty, S, Fernandes, K, Liebmann, B, Fisher, R, & Myneni, RB. (2013, November 5). Increased dry-season length over southern Amazonia in recent decades and its implication for future climate projection. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA , 110 (45), 18110-18115. Full Text Link to Item
  - Jiang, T, Deng, Y, & Li, W. (2013). Local kinetic energy budget of high-frequency and intermediate-frequency eddies: winter climatology and interannual variability. Climate Dynamics , 1-16. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Li, L, Li, W, & Barros, AP. (2013). Atmospheric moisture budget and its regulation of the summer precipitation variability over the Southeastern United States. Climate Dynamics , 41 (3-4), 613-631. Full Text
  - Li, L, Li, W, & Deng, Y. (2013). Summer rainfall variability over the Southeastern United States in the 21st century as assessed by the CMIP5 Models. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres , 118 , 340-354. Full Text
  - Li, W, Li, L, Fu, R, Deng, Y, & Wang, H. (2013, January). Reply to "Comments on 'Changes to the North Atlantic Subtropical High and Its Role in the Intensification of Summer Rainfall Variability in the Southeastern United States'". JOURNAL OF CLIMATE , 26 (2), 683-688. Full Text Link to Item
  - Ye, J, Li, W, Li, L, & Zhang, F. (2013). "North drying and south wetting" summer precipitation trend over China and its potential linkage with aerosol loading. Atmospheric Research , 125-126 , 12-19. Full Text
  - Jiang, T, Deng, Y, & Li, W. (2012). Local kinetic energy budget of high-frequency and intermediate-frequency eddies: winter climatology, subseasonal variability and ENSO impact. Climate Dynamics (Submitted). Climate Dynamics . (Academic Article)
  - Li, L, Li, W, & Kushnir, Y. (2012). Variation of the North Atlantic subtropical high western ridge and its implication to Southeastern US summer precipitation. Climate Dynamics , 39 (6), 1401-1412. Full Text
  - Li, W, Li, L, Fu, R, Deng, Y, & Wang, H. (2012). Comments on “Influences of the Bermuda High and atmospheric moistening on changes in summer rainfall in the Atlanta, Georgia region, USA” (Accepted). International Journal of Climatology . (Academic Article)
  - Li, W, Li, L, Ting, M, & Liu, Y. (2012). Intensification of Northern Hemisphere subtropical highs in a warming climate. Nature Geoscience , 5 (11), 830-834. Full Text
  - Arias, PA, Fu, R, Hoyos, CD, Li, W, & Zhou, L. (2011). Changes in cloudiness over the Amazon rainforests during the last two decades: Diagnostic and potential causes. Climate Dynamics , 37 (5), 1151-1164. Full Text
  - Li, L, Li, W, & Barros, AP. (2011). Atmospheric moisture budget and its regulation of the summer precipitation variability over the Southeastern United States (Submitted). Climate Dynamics . (Academic Article)
  - Li, W, Li, L, Fu, R, Deng, Y, & Wang, H. (2011). Changes to the North Atlantic subtropical high and its role in the intensification of summer rainfall variability in the southeastern United States. Journal of Climate , 24 (5), 1499-1506. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Li, W, Zhang, P, Ye, J, Li, L, & Baker, PA. (2011). Impact of two different types of El Niño events on the Amazon climate and ecosystem productivity. Journal of Plant Ecology , 4 (1-2), 91-99. Full Text
  - Arias, P, Fu, R, Hoyos, CD, Li, W, & Zhou, L. (2010). Changes in cloudiness during the last two decades over the Amazon forests. Climate Dynamics . (Academic Article) Link to Item
  - Wang, H, Fu, R, Kumar, A, & Li, W. (2010). Intensification of summer rainfall variability in the southeastern United States during recent decades. Journal of Hydrometeorology , 11 (4), 1007-1018. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Negrón Juárez, RI, Li, W, Fu, R, Fernandes, K, & Cardoso, A. (2009, February). Comparison of precipitation dataset over tropical lands. Journal of Hydrometeorology . (Academic Article) Link to Item
  - Juárez, RIN, Li, W, Fernandes, K, & Cardoso, ADO. (2009). Comparison of precipitation data sets over the tropical South American and African continents. Journal of Hydrometeorology , 10 (1), 289-299. Full Text
  - Wu, GX, Liu, Y, Zhu, X, Li, W, Ren, R, Duan, A, & Liang, X. (2009). Multi-scale forcing and the formation of subtropical desert and monsoon. Annales Geophysicae , 27 (9), 3631-3644. Full Text
  - Li, W, Fu, R, Juárez, RIN, & Fernandes, K. (2008). Observed change of the standardized precipitation index, its potential cause and implications to future climate change in the Amazon region. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences , 363 (1498), 1767-1772. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Malhi, Y, Roberts, JT, Betts, RA, Killeen, TJ, Li, W, & Nobre, CA. (2008). Climate Change, deforestation and the fate of the Amazon. Science , 319 (5860), 169-172. Full Text Link to Item
  - Li, W, Dickinson, RE, Fu, R, Niu, G-Y, Yang, Z-L, & Canadell, JG. (2007). Future precipitation changes and their implications for tropical peatlands. Geophysical Research Letters , 34 (1). Full Text
  - Li, W, & Fu, R. (2006). Influence of cold air intrusions on the wet season onset over Amazonia. Journal of Climate , 19 (1), 257-275. Full Text
  - Li, W, Fu, R, & Dickinson, RE. (2006). Rainfall and its seasonality over the Amazon in the 21st century as assessed by the coupled models for the IPCC AR4. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres , 111 (2). Full Text
  - Nakamura, K, Tanaka, H, Hiyama, T, Shinoda, T, Endo, T, & Li, W. (2006). Seasonal change of the atmospheric boundary layer over Huaihe River basin in China. Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering , 6404 . Full Text
  - Li, W, & Fu, R. (2004, July 1). Transition of the large-scale atmospheric and land surface conditions from the dry to the wet season over Amazonia as diagnosed by the ECMWF re-analysis. Journal of Climate , 17 (13), 2637-2651. Full Text
  - Fu, R, & Li, W. (2004). Influence of land surface on transition from dry to wet season in Amazonia. Theoretical & Applied Climatology , 78 (1-3), 97-110. Full Text Open Access Copy Link to Item
  - Li, W, & Fu, R. (2004). Transition of the large-scale atmospheric and land surface conditions from the dry to the wet season over Amazonia as diagnosed by the ECMWF re-analysis. Journal of Climate , 17 (13), 2637-2651. Full Text
  - Zhu, J, Sun, G, Li, W, Zhang, Y, Miao, G, Noormets, A, McNulty, SG, King, JS, Kumar, M, & Wang, X. Modeling the Potential Impacts of Climate Change on the Hydrology of Selected Forested Wetlands in the Southeastern United States (Published online). Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions , 1-28. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Zou, T, Zhang, Q, Li, WENHONG, & Li, J. Responses of Hail and Storm Days to Climate Change in the Tibetan Plateau (Published online). Geophysical Research Letters . Full Text
Teaching & Mentoring
Recent Courses
- ENVIRON 593: Independent Studies and Projects 2018
- ENVIRON 899: Master's Project 2018
- EOS 365: Introduction to Weather and Climate 2018
- EOS 393: Research Independent Study 2018
- EOS 511: The Climate System 2018
- EOS 512: Climate Change and Climate Modeling 2018
- EOS 791: Independent Study 2018
- EOS 391: Independent Study 2017
Scholarly, Clinical, & Service Activities
Service to the Profession
- Journal of Climate. 2016 2016

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Education, Training, & Certifications

Duke Appointment History

In the News

Awards & Honors

Subject Headings

Global Scholarship

Research

Selected Grants

Selected Publications

Journal Articles

Recent Courses

Service to the Profession