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
- Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering 2018
Contact Information
- 5113 Environment Hall, Durham, NC 27708
- Box 90328, Durham, NC 27708-0328
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wenhong.li@duke.edu
(919) 684-5015
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https://nicholas.duke.edu/people/faculty/li
- Background
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Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology 2003
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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
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In the News
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OCT 5, 2018 Nicholas School of the Environment -
SEP 5, 2017 ScienceNewsLine -
SEP 5, 2017 ScienceDaily -
SEP 4, 2017 Nature -
SEP 4, 2017 -
FEB 9, 2016 -
FEB 2, 2016 -
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AUG 23, 2015 -
APR 22, 2015 WNCN -
APR 22, 2015 Science 2.0 -
APR 21, 2015 -
JAN 28, 2015 Environmental News Network -
NOV 20, 2013 -
NOV 11, 2013
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Awards & Honors
- Expertise
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Subject Headings
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Global Scholarship
- Research
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Selected Grants
- Improved Observation of Effects of Hydrology and micro-topography on Belowground awarded by North Carolina State University 2015 - 2019
- Benchmarking climate model top-of-atmosphere radiance in the 9.6 ozone band compared to TES and IASI observations 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
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Selected Publications
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Academic Articles
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Hao, Z., Li, W., Singh, V. P., Xia, Y., Zhang, X., & Hao, F. (2020). Impact of dependence changes on the likelihood of hot extremes under drought conditions in the United States. Journal of Hydrology, 581. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.124410Full Text
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Zhao, S., Deng, Y., & Li, W. (2020). A Nonmodal Instability Perspective of the Declining Northern Midlatitude Synoptic Variability in Boreal Summer. Journal of Climate, 33(3), 1177–1192. https://doi.org/10.1175/jcli-d-18-0799.1Full Text
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Wei, W., Zhang, R., Yang, S., Li, W., & Wen, M. (2019). Quasi-Biweekly Oscillation of the South Asian High and Its Role in Connecting the Indian and East Asian Summer Rainfalls. Geophysical Research Letters, 46(24), 14742–14750. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL086180Full Text
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Wei, W., Zhang, R., Wen, M., Yang, S., & Li, W. (2019). Dynamic effect of the South Asian high on the interannual zonal extension of the western North Pacific subtropical high. International Journal of Climatology, 39(14), 5367–5379. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.6160Full Text
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Li, W., Zou, T., Li, L., Deng, Y., Sun, V. T., Zhang, Q., … Setoguchi, S. (2019). Impacts of the North Atlantic subtropical high on interannual variation of summertime heat stress over the conterminous United States. Climate Dynamics, 53(5–6), 3345–3359. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-019-04708-1Full Text
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Zhang, W., Zhang, X., Li, W., Hou, N., Wei, Y., Jia, K., … Cheng, J. (2019). Evaluation of Bayesian multimodel estimation in surface incident shortwave radiation simulation over high latitude areas. Remote Sensing, 11(15). https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11151776Full Text
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Wei, W., Li, W., Deng, Y., & Yang, S. (2019). Correction to: Intraseasonal variation of the summer rainfall over the Southeastern United States (Climate Dynamics, (2019), 53, 1-2, (1171-1183), 10.1007/s00382-018-4345-6). Climate Dynamics, 53(1–2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-018-4415-9Full Text
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Zhang, X., Wang, D., Liu, Q., Yao, Y., Jia, K., He, T., … Liang, S. (2019). An Operational Approach for Generating the Global Land Surface Downward Shortwave Radiation Product from MODIS Data. Ieee Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 57(7), 4636–4650. https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2019.2891945Full Text
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Zhang, C., Tang, Q., Chen, D., Van Der Ent, R. J., Liu, X., Li, W., & Haile, G. G. (2019). Moisture source changes contributed to different precipitation changes over the northern and southern Tibetan Plateau. Journal of Hydrometeorology, 20(2), 217–229. https://doi.org/10.1175/JHM-D-18-0094.1Full Text
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Zhang, Y., Li, W., Sun, G., & King, J. S. (2019). Coastal wetland resilience to climate variability: A hydrologic perspective. Journal of Hydrology, 568, 275–284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2018.10.048Full Text
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Yuan, J., Li, W., Kopp, R. E., & Deng, Y. (2018). Response of subtropical stationary waves and hydrological extremes to climate warming in boreal summer. Journal of Climate, 31(24), 10165–10180. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-17-0401.1Full Text
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Zhang, Y., Li, W., Sun, G., Miao, G., Noormets, A., Emanuel, R., & King, J. S. (2018). Understanding coastal wetland hydrology with a new regional-scale, process-based hydrological model. Hydrological Processes, 32(20), 3158–3173. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13247Full Text
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Hao, L., Huang, X., Qin, M., Liu, Y., Li, W., & Sun, G. (2018). Ecohydrological Processes Explain Urban Dry Island Effects in a Wet Region, Southern China. Water Resources Research, 54(9), 6757–6771. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018WR023002Full Text
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Wei, W., Li, W., Deng, Y., & Yang, S. (2018). Intraseasonal variation of the summer rainfall over the Southeastern United States. Climate Dynamics, 51, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-018-4345-6Full Text Open Access Copy
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Zou, T., Zhang, Q., Li, W. E. N. H. O. N. G., & Li, J. (2018). Responses of Hail and Storm Days to Climate Change in the Tibetan Plateau. Geophysical Research Letters. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL077069Full Text Open Access Copy
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Zhu, J., Sun, G., Li, W., Zhang, Y., Miao, G., Noormets, A., … Wang, X. (2017). 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. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-6289-2017Full Text
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Maxwell, R. S., Harley, G. L., Maxwell, J. T., Rayback, S. A., Pederson, N., Cook, E. R., … Rayburn, J. A. (2017). An interbasin comparison of tree-ring reconstructed streamflow in the eastern United States. Hydrological Processes, 31(13), 2381–2394. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.11188Full Text
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Wei, W., Li, W., Deng, Y., Yang, S., Jiang, J. H., Huang, L., & Liu, W. T. (2017). Dynamical and thermodynamical coupling between the North Atlantic subtropical high and the marine boundary layer clouds in boreal summer. Climate Dynamics, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-017-3750-6Full Text Open Access Copy
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Brown, P. T., Ming, Y., Li, W., & Hill, S. A. (2017). Change in the magnitude and mechanisms of global temperature variability with warming. Nature Climate Change, 7, 743–748. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate3381Full Text
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Brown, P. T., Li, W., Jiang, J. H., & Su, H. (2016). 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. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL071442Full Text
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Brown, P. T., Lozier, M. S., Zhang, R., & Li, W. (2016). The necessity of cloud feedback for a basin-scale Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. Geophysical Research Letters, 43(8), 3955–3963. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL068303Full Text
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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. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-1561-2016Full Text Open Access Copy
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Tang, T., Li, W., & Sun, G. (2016). Impact of two different types of El Ninõ events on runoff over the conterminous United States. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 20(1), 27–37. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-27-2016Full Text
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Brown, P. T., Li, W., Jiang, J. H., & Su, H. (2016). 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. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0384.1Full Text Open Access Copy
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Gao, H., Zhang, S., Fu, R., Li, W., & Dickinson, R. E. (2016). Interannual Variation of the Surface Temperature of Tropical Forests from Satellite Observations. Advances in Meteorology, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/4741390Full Text Open Access Copy
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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. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/4038703Full Text Open Access Copy
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Li, L., Li, W., Tang, Q., Zhang, P., & Liu, Y. (2016). Warm season heavy rainfall events over the Huaihe River Valley and their linkage with wintertime thermal condition of the tropical oceans. Climate Dynamics, 46(1–2), 71–82. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-015-2569-2Full Text Open Access Copy
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Yuan, J., Li, W., & Deng, Y. (2015). Amplified subtropical stationary waves in boreal summer and their implications for regional water extremes. Environmental Research Letters, 10(10). https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/10/10/104009Full Text
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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. https://doi.org/10.5194/hessd-12-8977-2015Full Text
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Li, L., & Li, W. (2015). Thermodynamic and dynamic contributions to future changes in regional precipitation variance: focus on the Southeastern United States. Climate Dynamics, 45(1–2), 67–82. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-014-2216-3Full Text Open Access Copy
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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. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-014-2352-9Full Text Open Access Copy
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Li, W., Li, L, & Deng, Y. (2015). Impact of the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation on Tropical Cyclone Activity in the North Atlantic and Eastern North Pacific. Scientific Reports, 5. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep12358Full Text Open Access Copy
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Li, Laifang, Li, W., Ballard, Tristan, Ge Sun, & Jeuland, Marc. (2015). CMIP5 model simulations of Ethiopian Kiremt-season precipitation: current climate and future changes. Climate Dynamics, 46(9–10), 2883–2895. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-015-2737-4Full Text Open Access Copy
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◦Brown, P.T., W. Li, E.C. Cordero, S.A. Mauget. (2015). Comparing the Model-Simulated Global Warming Signal to Observations Using Empirical Estimates of Unforced Noise. Scientific Reports, 5.Open Access Copy
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Brown, P. T., Li, W., & Xie, S. P. (2015). Regions of significant influence on unforced global mean surface air temperature variability in climate models. Journal of Geophysical Research, 120(2), 480–494. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JD022576Full Text Open Access Copy
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Park, T. W., Deng, Y., Li, W., Yang, S., & Cai, M. (2015). Mass footprints of the north pacific atmospheric blocking highs. Journal of Climate, 28(12), 4941–4949. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-14-00598.1Full Text Open Access Copy
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Li, L., Li, W., & Jin, J. (2014). Improvements in WRF simulation skills of southeastern United States summer rainfall: physical parameterization and horizontal resolution. Climate Dynamics, 43(7–8), 2077–2091. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-013-2031-2Full Text Open Access Copy
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Brown, P. T., Li, W., Li, L., & Ming, Y. (2014). Top-of-atmosphere radiative contribution to unforced decadal global temperature variability in climate models. Geophysical Research Letters, 41(14), 5175–5183. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL060625Full Text Open Access Copy
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Yin, L., Fu, R., Zhang, Y. F., Arias, P. A., Nelun Fernando, D., Li, W., … Bowerman, A. R. (2014). What controls the interannual variation of the wet season onsets over the amazon? Journal of Geophysical Research, 119(5), 2314–2328. https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JD021349Full Text
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Wuebbles, D., Meehl, G., Hayhoe, K., Karl, T. R., Kunkel, K., Santer, B., … Sun, L. (2014). CMIP5 climate model analyses: Climate extremes in the United States. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 95(4), 571–583. https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-12-00172.1Full Text Open Access Copy
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Li, W., Li, L., Fu, R., Deng, Y., & Wang, H. (2013). 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. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.3675Full Text
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Li, W., Li, L., Ting, M., Deng, Y., Kushnir, Y., Liu, Y., … Zhang, P. (2013). Intensification of the Southern Hemisphere summertime subtropical anticyclones in a warming climate. Geophysical Research Letters, 40(22), 5959–5964. https://doi.org/10.1002/2013GL058124Full Text
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Fu, R., Yin, L., Li, W., Arias, P. A., Dickinson, R. E., Huang, L., … Myneni, R. B. (2013). 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. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1302584110Full Text Link to Item
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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. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-013-1684-1Full Text Open Access Copy
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Li, L., & Li, W. (2013). Southeastern United States summer rainfall framework and its implication for seasonal prediction. Environmental Research Letters, 8(4). https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/4/044017Full Text
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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. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgrd.50136Full Text
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Li, W., Li, L., Fu, R., Deng, Y., & Wang, H. (2013). 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. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00674.1Full Text Link to Item
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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. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2013.01.007Full Text
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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. Climate Dynamics.
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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. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-011-1214-yFull Text
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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”. International Journal of Climatology.
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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. https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1590Full Text
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Arias, P. A., Fu, R., Hoyos, C. D., 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. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-010-0903-2Full Text
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Li, L., Li, W., & Barros, A. P. (2011). Atmospheric moisture budget and its regulation of the summer precipitation variability over the Southeastern United States. Climate Dynamics.
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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. https://doi.org/10.1175/2010JCLI3829.1Full Text Open Access Copy
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Li, W., Zhang, P., Ye, J., Li, L., & Baker, P. A. (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. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpe/rtq039Full Text
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Arias, P., Fu, R., Hoyos, C. D., Li, W., & Zhou, L. (2010). Changes in cloudiness during the last two decades over the Amazon forests. Climate Dynamics.Link to Item
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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. https://doi.org/10.1175/2010JHM1229.1Full Text Open Access Copy
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Wu, G. X., 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. https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-27-3631-2009Full Text
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Negrón Juárez, R. I., Li, W., Fu, R., Fernandes, K., & Cardoso, A. (2009). Comparison of precipitation dataset over tropical lands. Journal of Hydrometeorology.Link to Item
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Juárez, R. I. N., Li, W., Fernandes, K., & Cardoso, A. D. O. (2009). Comparison of precipitation data sets over the tropical South American and African continents. Journal of Hydrometeorology, 10(1), 289–299. https://doi.org/10.1175/2008JHM1023.1Full Text
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Li, W., Fu, R., Juárez, R. I. N., & 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. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2007.0022Full Text Open Access Copy
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Malhi, Y., Roberts, J. T., Betts, R. A., Killeen, T. J., Li, W., & Nobre, C. A. (2008). Climate Change, deforestation and the fate of the Amazon. Science, 319(5860), 169–172. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1146961Full Text Link to Item
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Li, W., Dickinson, R. E., Fu, R., Niu, G. Y., Yang, Z. L., & Canadell, J. G. (2007). Future precipitation changes and their implications for tropical peatlands. Geophysical Research Letters, 34(1). https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL028364Full Text
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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. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.697247Full Text
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Li, W., & Fu, R. (2006). Influence of cold air intrusions on the wet season onset over Amazonia. Journal of Climate, 19(1), 257–275. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI3614.1Full Text
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Li, W., Fu, R., & Dickinson, R. E. (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). https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JD006355Full Text
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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. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-004-0046-7Full Text Open Access Copy Link to Item
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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. https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(2004)017<2637:TOTLAA>2.0.CO;2Full Text
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Haile, G. G., Tang, Q., Li, W., Liu, X., & Zhang, X. (n.d.). Drought: Progress in broadening its understanding. Wires Water. https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1407Full Text
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Zhu, J., Sun, G., Li, W., Zhang, Y., Miao, G., Noormets, A., … Wang, X. (n.d.). Modeling the Potential Impacts of Climate Change on the Hydrology of Selected Forested Wetlands in the Southeastern United States. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2017-215Full Text Open Access Copy
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Conference Papers
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Layton, J. B., Wang, L., Li, W., Yuan, J., & Setoguchi, S. (2017). Heat-Related Outcomes and Medication Use in Older Adults with Heart Failure. In Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety (Vol. 26, pp. 185–186). WILEY.Link to Item
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- Teaching & Mentoring
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Recent Courses
- ENVIRON 393: Research Independent Study 2020
- ENVIRON 593: Independent Studies and Projects 2020
- ENVIRON 898: Program Area Seminar 2020
- ENVIRON 899: Master's Project 2020
- EOS 365: Introduction to Weather and Climate 2020
- EOS 393: Research Independent Study 2020
- EOS 511: The Climate System 2020
- EOS 791: Independent Study 2020
- EOS 512: Climate Change and Climate Modeling 2018
- Scholarly, Clinical, & Service Activities
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Service to the Profession
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