Hua Lu
Contact
About
Research Area
I investigate how stratosphere–troposphere interactions shape extreme weather and climate variability, particularly from the midlatitudes to the polar regions. My research focuses on large-scale atmospheric dynamics—such as jet stream variability, the stratospheric polar vortex, and the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation—and how these processes influence surface climate through long-range teleconnections and vertical coupling across timescales from days to decades.
More recently, I’ve developed a strong interest in feedbacks between air–sea exchange and atmospheric circulation. A key focus is moisture transfer via atmospheric rivers and its role in driving polar climate extremes.
My methodology combines reanalysis datasets, satellite observations, and large ensemble climate model simulations. I develop and apply advanced diagnostics to examine wave–mean flow interactions, jet stream dynamics, and storm track variability—particularly in the context of polar amplification and model performance.
This interdisciplinary work aims to improve our understanding of how stratospheric and oceanic processes modulate weather patterns, contributing to enhanced climate predictability and risk assessment in high-latitude regions.
Project interests
I develop projects at the intersection of dynamical meteorology and climate science, focusing on jet stream dynamics, stratosphere–troposphere coupling, and air–sea interactions. A key interest is how wave activity, wave–mean flow interactions, and stratospheric processes influence polar moisture transport, storm tracks, and extreme weather events. Projects involve analysing large climate datasets, developing advanced diagnostics and AI prediction tools, and using high-performance computing. Depending on interest, students may work on model evaluation, teleconnection analysis, or improving the representation of key dynamical processes in climate models to enhance predictability in polar regions.
CASE
Potential CASE collaboration: MetOffice