International Pacific Research Center | People

Sen Zhao

Associate Researcher of Atmospheric Sciences

International Pacific Research Center
School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology
University of Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii 96822

Phone: (808) 956-7110
Fax: (808) 956-2877
Email:
Webpage: https://senzhao.netlify.app/

Curriculum Vitae

Education

2016 - Ph.D. (Meteorology) Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Dissertation: Theory of Cross-Equatorial Propagation of Planetary Wave in Horizontally Non-Uniform Basic Flow and Its Applications in Atmospheric Teleconnections
2011 - B.S. (Atmospheric Sciences) Lanzhou University, China
Thesis: Evaluation of WRF microphysics and cumulus schemes in simulating Hurricane Katrina

Research Interests

Climate variability, dynamics, and predictability
El Niño-Southern Oscillation
Cross-basin ocean-atmosphere interactions
Seasonal prediction
Atmospheric wave dynamics and teleconnections
Multi-scale interactions of the Earth system
Climate impacts and change
Paleoclimate

Professional Experience

Associate Researcher, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 2025 – Present
Assistant Researcher, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 2021 – 2025
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 2016 – 2021

Professional Service and Activities

Associate Editor for npj Climate and Atmospheric Science (Nature partner journal) 2025 – Present
Referees for journals: Nature; Nat. Geosci.; PNAS; Sci. Adv.; npj Clim. Atmos. Sci.; Commun. Earth Environ.; GRL; J. Clim.; Clim. Dyn.; Atmos. Chem. Phys.; Environ. Res. Lett.; JGR: Atmos.; JGR: Oceans; J. Atmos. Sci.; Sci. Rep.; Deep-Sea Res. I; Atmosphere; Theor. Appl. Climatol.; Prog. Oceanogr.; SOLA; Agron. J.; Earth Space Sci.; Front. Earth Sci.
Convener/Co-Convener for AGU session “El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Pantropical Climate Interactions: Mechanisms, Predictability, Impacts, and Projections” in 2024 and 2025
Practical section lecturer for ENSO Winter School, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 2025

Refereed Publications

Hayashi, M., T. Yokohata, H. Shiogama, T. Ogura, F.-F. Jin, S. Zhao, and M. F. Stuecker (2026): Unraveling non-monotonic responses of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation to post-2100 global warming, npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, in press
Boucharel, J., R. Almar, F.-F. Jin, S. Zhao, M. F. Stuecker, & B. Dewitte. (2026). Climate mode interactions amplify coastal flood risks and their seasonal predictability. Nature Geoscience, 1–8. doi:s41561-025-01903-0
Mei, Z., S. Lin, K. Fang, W. Tang, F. Zhou, F. Liu, S. Zhao, et al. (2026). Identifying key convection-sensitive oceanic regions to weaken the ENSO spring predictability barrier. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 123(12), e2512725123. doi:10.1073/pnas.2512725123
Stuecker, M. F., S. Zhao, A. Timmermann, R. Ghosh, T. Semmler, S.-S. Lee, J.-Y. Moon, F.-F. Jin, & T. Jung. (2025). Global climate mode resonance due to rapidly intensifying El Niño-Southern Oscillation. Nature Communications, 16(1), 9013. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-64619-0
Feng, J., J. Li, F.-F. Jin, S. Zhao, & J. Li. (2025). Anthropogenic forcing drives equatorward migration of heatwave locations across continents. Nature Communications, 16(1), 1–11. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-63558-0
Iwakiri, T., J.-S. Kug, F.-F. Jin, S. Zhao, S.-I. An, G.-I. Kim, & D. Park. (2025). Abrupt shift of El Niño periodicity under CO2 mitigation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122(25), e2426048122. doi:10.1073/pnas.2426048122
Zhao, S., N. Li, F.-F. Jin, K. F. Cheung, & Z. Yang. (2025). Contrast and Predictability of Island-Scale El Niño Influences on Hawaii Wave Climate. Geophysical Research Letters, 52(8), e2024GL113127. doi:10.1029/2024GL113127
Vialard, J., F.-F. Jin, M. J. McPhaden, A. Fedorov, W. Cai, S.-I. An, … S. Zhao., … et al. (2025). The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Recharge Oscillator Conceptual Model: Achievements and Future Prospects. Reviews of Geophysics, 63(1), e2024RG000843. doi:10.1029/2024RG000843
Kajakokulan, P., A. Santoso, & S. Zhao. (2025). Asymmetric response of Sri Lanka Northeast Monsoon rainfall to El Niño/La Niña. Climate Dynamics, 63(2), 1–12. doi:10.1007/s00382-025-07590-2
Zhao, Siyu, R. Fu, S. Zhao, F.-F. Jin, & H. Wang. (2025). Cross-equatorial extension of the Pacific-South American wave train enabled by Southeastern South American rainfall. Climate Dynamics, 63(1), 5. doi:10.1007/s00382-024-07496-5
Gunnarson, J. L., M. F. Stuecker, & S. Zhao. (2024). Drivers of future extratropical sea surface temperature variability changes in the North Pacific. Npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, 7(1), 1–11. doi:10.1038/s41612-024-00702-5
Zhao, S., F.-F. Jin, M. F. Stuecker, P. R. Thompson, J.-S. Kug, M. J. McPhaden, et al. (2024). Explainable El Niño predictability from climate mode interactions. Nature, 630(8018), 891–898. doi:10.1038/s41586-024-07534-6
Tang, X., J. Li, Y. Zhang, Y. Li, & S. Zhao. (2023). Synergistic Effect of El Niño and Negative Phase of North Atlantic Oscillation on Winter Precipitation in the Southeastern United States. Journal of Climate, 36(6), 1767–1791. doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-22-0293.1
Li, X., Z.-Z. Hu, S. Zhao, R. Ding, & B. Zhang. (2022). On the Asymmetry of the Tropical Pacific Thermocline Fluctuation Associated With ENSO Recharge and Discharge. Geophysical Research Letters, 49(11), e2022GL099242. doi:10.1029/2022GL099242
Shi, F., H. Goosse, J. Li, Q. Yin, F. C. Ljungqvist, T. Lian, et al. (2022). Interdecadal to Multidecadal Variability of East Asian Summer Monsoon Over the Past Half Millennium. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 127(20), e2022JD037260. doi:10.1029/2022JD037260
Tang, X., J.-P. Li, H. Zhang, & S. Zhao. (2022). Representation of Rossby wave propagation and its effect on the teleconnection between the Indian summer monsoon and extratropical rainfall in the Met Office Unified Model. Climate Dynamics, 58, 907–924. doi:10.1007/s00382-021-05940-4
Shi, F., C. Sun, A. Guion, Q. Yin, S. Zhao, T. Liu, & Z. Guo. (2022). Roman Warm Period and Late Antique Little Ice Age in an Earth System Model Large Ensemble. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 127(16), e2021JD035832. doi:10.1029/2021JD035832
Zhao, S., & C. Karamperidou. (2022). Competing Effects of Eastern and Central-Western Pacific Winds in the Evolution of the 2017 Extreme Coastal El Niño. Geophysical Research Letters, 49(15), e2022GL098859. doi:10.1029/2022GL098859
Chen, H.-C., F.-F. Jin, S. Zhao, A. T. Wittenberg, & S. Xie. (2021). ENSO Dynamics in the E3SM-1-0, CESM2, and GFDL-CM4 Climate Models. Journal of Climate, 34(23), 9365–9384. doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-21-0355.1
Zhao, S., F.-F. Jin, X. Long, & M. A. Cane. (2021). On the Breakdown of ENSO’s Relationship With Thermocline Depth in the Central-Equatorial Pacific. Geophysical Research Letters, 48(9), e2020GL092335. doi:10.1029/2020GL092335
Zhao, S., F.-F. Jin, & M. F. Stuecker. (2021). Understanding Lead Times of Warm Water Volumes to ENSO Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies. Geophysical Research Letters, 48(19), e2021GL094366. doi:10.1029/2021GL094366
Jin, F.-F., H.-C. Chen, S. Zhao, M. Hayashi, C. Karamperidou, M. F. Stuecker, et al. (2020). Simple ENSO Models. In M. J. McPhaden, A. Santoso, & W. Cai (Eds.), El Niño Southern Oscillation in a Changing Climate (pp. 119–151). American Geophysical Union (AGU). http://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781119548164.ch6
Liu, T., J. Li, Q. Wang, & S. Zhao. (2020). Influence of the Autumn SST in the Southern Pacific Ocean on Winter Precipitation in the North American Monsoon Region. Atmosphere, 11(8), 844. doi:10.3390/atmos11080844
Xue, A., F.-F. Jin, W. Zhang, J. Boucharel, S. Zhao, & X. Yuan. (2020). Delineating the Seasonally Modulated Nonlinear Feedback Onto ENSO From Tropical Instability Waves. Geophysical Research Letters, 47(7), e2019GL085863. doi:10.1029/2019GL085863
Zhang, Y., J.-P. Li, S. Zhao, F. Zheng, J. Feng, Y. Li, & Y. Xu. (2020). Indian Ocean tripole mode and its associated atmospheric and oceanic processes. Climate Dynamics. doi:10.1007/s00382-020-05331-1
Zhao, S., M. F. Stuecker, F.-F. Jin, J. Feng, H.-L. Ren, W. Zhang, & J. Li. (2020). Improved Predictability of the Indian Ocean Dipole Using a Stochastic Dynamical Model Compared to the North American Multimodel Ensemble Forecast. Weather and Forecasting, 35(2), 379–399. doi:10.1175/WAF-D-19-0184.1
Zhou, X., Q. Chen, Z. Wang, M. Xu, S. Zhao, Z. Cheng, & F. Feng. (2020). Longer Duration of the Weak Stratospheric Vortex During Extreme El Niño Events Linked to Spring Eurasian Coldness. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 125(16), e2019JD032331. doi:10.1029/2019JD032331
Feng, J., J. Li, F.-F. Jin, Z. Liu, & S. Zhao. (2019). Effect of El Niño on the response ratio of Hadley circulation to different SST meridional structures. Climate Dynamics. doi:10.1007/s00382-019-04756-7
Shi, F., H. Goosse, F. Klein, S. Zhao, T. Liu, & Z. Guo. (2019). Monopole Mode of Precipitation in East Asia Modulated by the South China Sea Over the Last Four Centuries. Geophysical Research Letters, 46(24), 14713–14722. doi:10.1029/2019GL085320
Wang, Q., J. Li, Y. Li, J. Xue, S. Zhao, Y. Xu, et al. (2019). Modulation of tropical cyclone tracks over the western North Pacific by intra-seasonal Indo-western Pacific convection oscillation during the boreal extended summer. Climate Dynamics, 52(1–2), 913–927. doi:10.1007/s00382-018-4264-6
Zhao, S., F.-F. Jin, & M. F. Stuecker. (2019). Improved Predictability of the Indian Ocean Dipole Using Seasonally Modulated ENSO Forcing Forecasts. Geophysical Research Letters, 46(16), 9980–9990. doi:10.1029/2019GL084196
Zhao, S., J.-P. Li, Y. Li, F.-F. Jin, & J. Zheng. (2019). Interhemispheric influence of Indo-Pacific convection oscillation on Southern Hemisphere rainfall through southward propagation of Rossby waves. Climate Dynamics, 52(5), 3203–3221. doi:10.1007/s00382-018-4324-y
Feng, J., J. Li, F. Jin, S. Zhao, & J. Zhu. (2018). Relationship between the Hadley circulation and different tropical meridional SST structures during boreal summer. Journal of Climate, 31(16), 6575–6590. doi:JCLI-D-18-0095.1
Li, Y.-J., J. Feng, J.-P. Li, & S. Zhao. (2018). The Circle Diagram in the Group Velocity Domain for Rossby Wave under the Horizontally Non-Uniform Flow. SOLA, 14, 121–125. doi:0.2151/sola.2018-021
Li, Y.-J., J.-P. Li, F. Kucharski, J. Feng, S. Zhao, & J. Zheng. (2018). Two Leading Modes of the Interannual Variability in South American Surface Air Temperature during Austral Winter. Climate Dynamics, 51(5–6), 2141–2156. doi:10.1007/s00382-017-4004-3
Liu, T., J. Li, Y. Li, S. Zhao, F. Zheng, J. Zheng, & Z. Yao. (2018). Influence of the May Southern Annular Mode on the South China Sea Summer Monsoon. Climate Dynamics, 51(11–12), 4095–4107. doi:10.1007/s00382-017-3753-3
Stuecker, M. F., C. M. Bitz, K. C. Armour, C. Proistosescu, S. M. Kang, S.-P. Xie, … S. Zhao, … et al. (2018). Polar amplification dominated by local forcing and feedbacks. Nature Climate Change, 1. doi:10.1038/s41558-018-0339-y
Xue, J., J. Li, C. Sun, S. Zhao, J. Mao, D. Dong, et al. (2018). Decadal-scale teleconnection between South Atlantic SST and southeast Australia surface air temperature in austral summer. Climate Dynamics, 50(7–8), 2687–2703. doi:10.1007/s00382-017-3764-0
Zhou, X., J. Li, F. Xie, R. Ding, Y. Li, S. Zhao, et al. (2018). The Effects of the Indo-Pacific Warm Pool on the Stratosphere. Climate Dynamics, 51(11–12), 4043–4064. doi:10.1007/s00382-017-3584-2
Feng, J., J. Li, F. Jin, S. Zhao, & F. Xie. (2017). The responses of the Hadley circulation to different meridional SST structures in the seasonal cycle. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 122(15), 7785–7799. doi:10.1002/2017JD026953
Huyan, L., J. Li, S. Zhao, C. Sun, D. Dong, T. Liu, & Y. Zhao. (2017). The Impact of Layer Perturbation Potential Energy on the East Asian Summer Monsoon. Journal of Climate, 30(17), 7087–7103. doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-16-0729.1
Qin, J., R. Ding, Z. Wu, J. Li, & S. Zhao. (2017). Relationships between the extratropical ENSO precursor and leading modes of atmospheric variability in the Southern Hemisphere. Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, 34(3), 360–370. doi:10.1007/s00376-016-6016-z
Shi, F., S. Zhao, Z. Guo, H. Goosse, & Q. Yin. (2017). Multi-proxy reconstructions of May-September precipitation field in China over the past 500 years. Climate of the Past, 13(12), 1919–1938. doi:10.5194/cp-13-1919-2017
Stuecker, M. F., A. Timmermann, F.-F. Jin, Y. Chikamoto, W. Zhang, A. T. Wittenberg, ... S. Zhao. (2017). Revisiting ENSO/Indian Ocean Dipole phase relationships. Geophysical Research Letters, 44(5), 2016GL072308. doi:10.1007/s00376-016-6016-z
Tian, W., Y. Li, F. Xie, J. Zhang, M. P. Chipperfield, W. Feng, …, S. Zhao, …et al. (2017). The relationship between lower-stratospheric ozone at southern high latitudes and sea surface temperature in the East Asian marginal seas in austral spring. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 17(11), 6705–6722. doi:10.5194/acp-17-6705-2017
Xie, F., J. Li, J. Zhang, W. Tian, Y. Hu, S. Zhao, et al. (2017). Variations in North Pacific Sea Surface Temperature Caused by Arctic Stratospheric Ozone Anomalies. Environmental Research Letters, 12(11), 114023. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/aa9005
Ding, R., J. Li, Y. Tseng, K.-J. Ha, S. Zhao, & J.-Y. Lee. (2016). Interdecadal change in the lagged relationship between the Pacific-South American pattern and ENSO. Climate Dynamics, 47(9–10), 2867–2884. doi:s00382-016-3002-1
Kazmi, D. H., J. Li, C. Ruan, S. Zhao, & Y. Li. (2016). A statistical downscaling model for summer rainfall over Pakistan. Climate Dynamics, 47(7–8), 2653–2666. 10.1007/s00382-016-2990-1
Li, J., S. Zhao, Y. Li, L. Wang, & C. Sun. (2016). On the role of perturbation potential energy in variability of the East Asian summer monsoon: Current status and prospects (in Chinese). Advances in Earth Science, 31(2), 115–125. doi:10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2016.02.0115
Yang, F., N. Wang, F. Shi, F. C. Ljungqvist, S. Zhao, & T. Liu. (2016). The spatial distribution of precipitation over the West Qinling region, China, AD 1470-2000. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 443, 278–285. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2015.12.003
Zhao, S., & J.-P. Li, & C. Sun. (2016). Decadal variability in the occurrence of wintertime haze in central eastern China tied to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Scientific Reports, 6, 27424. doi:10.1038/srep27424
Zheng, F., J. Li, Y. Li, S. Zhao, & D. Deng. (2016). Influence of the Summer NAO on the Spring-NAO-Based Predictability of the East Asian Summer Monsoon. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 55(7), 1459–1476. doi:10.1175/JAMC-D-15-0199.1
Zheng, J., Q. Wu, Y. Guo, & S. Zhao. (2016). The Impact of Summertime North Indian Ocean SST on Tropical Cyclone Genesis over the Western North Pacific. SOLA, 12, 242–246. doi:10.2151/sola.2016-048
Li, Y.-J., J.-P. Li, F. F. Jin, & S. Zhao. (2015). Interhemispheric Propagation of Stationary Rossby Waves in a Horizontally Nonuniform Background Flow. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 72(8), 3233–3256. doi:10.1175/JAS-D-14-0239.1
Shi, F., Q. Ge, B. Yang, J. Li, F. Yang, F. C. Ljungqvist, …, S. Zhao, … et al. (2015). A multi-proxy reconstruction of spatial and temporal variations in Asian summer temperatures over the last millennium. Climatic Change, 131(4), 663–676. doi:10.1007/s10584-015-1413-3
Sun, C., J.-P. Li, & S. Zhao. (2015). Remote influence of Atlantic multidecadal variability on Siberian warm season precipitation. Scientific Reports, 5, 16853. doi:10.1038/srep16853
Zhu, G., W. Lin, S. Zhao, & Y. Cao. (2015). Spatial and temporal variation characteristics of ocean waves in the South China Sea during the boreal winter. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 34(1), 23–28. doi:10.1007/s13131-015-0592-0
Zhao, S., J.-P. Li, & Y. Li. (2015). Dynamics of an Interhemispheric Teleconnection across the Critical Latitude through a Southerly Duct during Boreal Winter. Journal of Climate, 28(19), 7437–7456. doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-14-00425.1
Shi, F., B. Yang, S. Zhao, & F. Yang. (2014). Spatial pattern reconstruction of typical centennial warm periods of global temperature over the past millennium (in Chinese). Quaternary Sciences, 34(6), 1125–1135. doi:10.3969/j.issn.1001-7410.2014.06.01