R. Saravanan
@sarava.net
Climate scientist, Professor, and Dept Head at Texas A&M University. Author: ClimateDemon.com Now-and-then-blogger: https://Metamodel.blog Bio: https://r.saravanan.us/about
Pinned
R. Saravanan
@sarava.net
· May 28
I'll be speaking tomorrow, Thurs., May 29th, at 9:30AM Eastern Time in the Weather & Climate Livestream
www.youtube.com/@wclivestream
Topic: Using climate models to predict solar and wind power droughts, i.e., periods when it is Dark & Still
(agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....)
www.youtube.com/@wclivestream
Topic: Using climate models to predict solar and wind power droughts, i.e., periods when it is Dark & Still
(agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....)
Reposted by R. Saravanan
At the risk of starting the flame war to end all flame wars...
Modern LLMs (GPT-5.1, Claude 4.5, Gemini 3) produce excellent code and can be a significant productivity boost to software engineers who take the time to learn how to effectively apply them - especially if used with coding agent tools
Modern LLMs (GPT-5.1, Claude 4.5, Gemini 3) produce excellent code and can be a significant productivity boost to software engineers who take the time to learn how to effectively apply them - especially if used with coding agent tools
November 27, 2025 at 7:55 PM
At the risk of starting the flame war to end all flame wars...
Modern LLMs (GPT-5.1, Claude 4.5, Gemini 3) produce excellent code and can be a significant productivity boost to software engineers who take the time to learn how to effectively apply them - especially if used with coding agent tools
Modern LLMs (GPT-5.1, Claude 4.5, Gemini 3) produce excellent code and can be a significant productivity boost to software engineers who take the time to learn how to effectively apply them - especially if used with coding agent tools
Reposted by R. Saravanan
"Runctitiononal features"? "Medical fymblal"? "1 Tol Line storee"? This gets worse the longer you look at it. But it's got to be good, because it was published in Nature Scientific Reports last week: www.nature.com/articles/s41... h/t @asa.tsbalans.se
November 27, 2025 at 9:30 AM
"Runctitiononal features"? "Medical fymblal"? "1 Tol Line storee"? This gets worse the longer you look at it. But it's got to be good, because it was published in Nature Scientific Reports last week: www.nature.com/articles/s41... h/t @asa.tsbalans.se
Reposted by R. Saravanan
In a piece for @us.theconversation.com, Shaina Sadai @scienceshaina.bsky.social and I wrote about the sea level projections in our new paper. The focus here is on explaining how melting Antarctic ice sheets lead to regional differences in SLR. Paper linked below. theconversation.com/sea-level-do...
Sea level doesn’t rise at the same rate everywhere – we mapped where Antarctica’s ice melt would have the biggest impact
Understanding what happens to Antarctica’s ice matters, because as it melts, sea levels rise, affecting lives and economies around the world.
theconversation.com
November 25, 2025 at 10:36 PM
In a piece for @us.theconversation.com, Shaina Sadai @scienceshaina.bsky.social and I wrote about the sea level projections in our new paper. The focus here is on explaining how melting Antarctic ice sheets lead to regional differences in SLR. Paper linked below. theconversation.com/sea-level-do...
Reposted by R. Saravanan
Solar geoengineering (a.k.a. SRM) has been much in the news recently, likely prompted by the amoral, alarming intrusion of venture capital into the profit-oriented Israeli geoengineering startup Stardust. There have been three articles in major outlets of which my favourite is by the
November 25, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Solar geoengineering (a.k.a. SRM) has been much in the news recently, likely prompted by the amoral, alarming intrusion of venture capital into the profit-oriented Israeli geoengineering startup Stardust. There have been three articles in major outlets of which my favourite is by the
Reposted by R. Saravanan
The NWS Houston confirmed at least two tornadoes from yesterday's storms between Towne Lake and Klein. We have details on what they found, as well as a radar analysis of both storms. #houwx #housky
At least two tornadoes have been confirmed on the northwest side of Houston from Monday’s storms
In brief: A high-end EF-1 and a low-end EF-2 tornado were confirmed today from damage surveys conducted by the National Weather Service northwest of Houston. The first occurred in Riata Ranch. The …
spacecityweather.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Reposted by R. Saravanan
NEW: AI “recipe slop” is overrunning search and social. Food creators say Google’s AI Overviews and glossy fake food pics are drowning out real, tested recipes — collapsing traffic and setting home cooks up for disaster, especially this Thanksgiving.
Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
AI Slop Recipes Are Taking Over the Internet -- And Thanksgiving Dinner
Food bloggers see traffic dip as home cooks turn to AI, inspired by impossible pictures
www.bloomberg.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:16 PM
NEW: AI “recipe slop” is overrunning search and social. Food creators say Google’s AI Overviews and glossy fake food pics are drowning out real, tested recipes — collapsing traffic and setting home cooks up for disaster, especially this Thanksgiving.
Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by R. Saravanan
This paper did not get that much attention when it came out, but it deserves more. Welcome to "Climate Nowcasting" as a new term in the lexicon...
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
November 24, 2025 at 7:01 PM
This paper did not get that much attention when it came out, but it deserves more. Welcome to "Climate Nowcasting" as a new term in the lexicon...
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
Reposted by R. Saravanan
Nice analysis of high res (10-25km) simulations shows super-CC scaling of precip extremes, driven by mesoscale dynamics not well captured by coarser models
Mesoscale systems are an interesting challenge for ML, since they need non-local schemes + some memory
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Mesoscale systems are an interesting challenge for ML, since they need non-local schemes + some memory
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Future extreme precipitation amplified by intensified mesoscale moisture convergence - Nature Geoscience
Extreme daily precipitation events over land could increase by about 41% by 2100 under a high-emissions scenario with an increase in mesoscale moisture convergence, according to an ensemble of climate...
www.nature.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Nice analysis of high res (10-25km) simulations shows super-CC scaling of precip extremes, driven by mesoscale dynamics not well captured by coarser models
Mesoscale systems are an interesting challenge for ML, since they need non-local schemes + some memory
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Mesoscale systems are an interesting challenge for ML, since they need non-local schemes + some memory
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by R. Saravanan
Tehran is having an historic drought due to a combination of factors, including climate change.
The ocean is not helping.
1/3
The ocean is not helping.
1/3
November 24, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Tehran is having an historic drought due to a combination of factors, including climate change.
The ocean is not helping.
1/3
The ocean is not helping.
1/3
Reposted by R. Saravanan
LLMs are fast becoming a major source of information.
In a new piece over at The Climate Brink, I argue that LLMs are fundamentally consensus machines, and could help defragment our information ecosystem – at least if their creators do not put thumbs on the digital scale.
In a new piece over at The Climate Brink, I argue that LLMs are fundamentally consensus machines, and could help defragment our information ecosystem – at least if their creators do not put thumbs on the digital scale.
Consensus machines
Will the AI future inadvertently recenter expertise?
www.theclimatebrink.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:18 PM
LLMs are fast becoming a major source of information.
In a new piece over at The Climate Brink, I argue that LLMs are fundamentally consensus machines, and could help defragment our information ecosystem – at least if their creators do not put thumbs on the digital scale.
In a new piece over at The Climate Brink, I argue that LLMs are fundamentally consensus machines, and could help defragment our information ecosystem – at least if their creators do not put thumbs on the digital scale.
Reposted by R. Saravanan
The conspiracy theory that the government or HAARP caused Hurricane Melissa has resurfaced. In this article, I explain away such foolishness and provide 6 reasons some of your friends or family may cling to conspiracy theories. I hope you will read and share this one.
www.forbes.com/sites/marsha...
www.forbes.com/sites/marsha...
Hurricane Melissa Was Not Caused By HAARP Or Government Technology
A conspiracy theory linking Hurricane Melissa to HAARP has surfaced. Our expert, once again, dispels the false narrative of hurricane manipulation.
www.forbes.com
November 23, 2025 at 1:13 PM
The conspiracy theory that the government or HAARP caused Hurricane Melissa has resurfaced. In this article, I explain away such foolishness and provide 6 reasons some of your friends or family may cling to conspiracy theories. I hope you will read and share this one.
www.forbes.com/sites/marsha...
www.forbes.com/sites/marsha...
Reposted by R. Saravanan
TX Hill Country floods have been in the news as more victims' families file lawsuits. I've had a lot of opportunity to examine this event - including visiting Kerrville - and share my perspectives on what I've learned & what we can do to keep this from happening again. https://tinyurl.com/2yyzza2y
BalancedWx Special: Revisiting the Texas Hill Country flash flood catastrophe
Recent New York Times article provides details about events at Camp Mystic
tinyurl.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:35 PM
TX Hill Country floods have been in the news as more victims' families file lawsuits. I've had a lot of opportunity to examine this event - including visiting Kerrville - and share my perspectives on what I've learned & what we can do to keep this from happening again. https://tinyurl.com/2yyzza2y
Reposted by R. Saravanan
Nano Banana Pro, released this morning, is clearly the best image generation model. Superb instruction following, plus it can generate full infographics (with correct spelling and properly rendered text!) from a short prompt based on running extra searches simonwillison.net/2025/Nov/20/...
Nano Banana Pro aka gemini-3-pro-image-preview is the best available image generation model
Hot on the heels of Tuesday’s Gemini 3 Pro release, today it’s Nano Banana Pro, also known as Gemini 3 Pro Image. I’ve had a few days of preview access …
simonwillison.net
November 20, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Nano Banana Pro, released this morning, is clearly the best image generation model. Superb instruction following, plus it can generate full infographics (with correct spelling and properly rendered text!) from a short prompt based on running extra searches simonwillison.net/2025/Nov/20/...
Reposted by R. Saravanan
My latest for @science.org: A remarkable set of high-resolution climate model runs, computed over 900 (!) days of supercomputing time, are revealing how warming-induced changes to Earth's wind patterns due can prime huge spikes in extreme rainfall.
But the MESACLIP runs also do much more than that.
But the MESACLIP runs also do much more than that.
High-resolution climate model forecasts a wet, turbulent future
With details as fine as short-term weather forecasts, model achieves newfound accuracy
www.science.org
November 18, 2025 at 2:35 PM
My latest for @science.org: A remarkable set of high-resolution climate model runs, computed over 900 (!) days of supercomputing time, are revealing how warming-induced changes to Earth's wind patterns due can prime huge spikes in extreme rainfall.
But the MESACLIP runs also do much more than that.
But the MESACLIP runs also do much more than that.
Reposted by R. Saravanan
FWIW, here's the scientifically bankrupt image provided by ChatGPT when prompted by the session name... 🫣
November 18, 2025 at 6:28 PM
FWIW, here's the scientifically bankrupt image provided by ChatGPT when prompted by the session name... 🫣
Reposted by R. Saravanan
Some of the country's highest home insurance prices are in the central U.S., a region generally considered to be protected from climate-driven disasters such as wildfires and hurricanes.
Why home insurance is unaffordable, even in places without wildfires or hurricanes
Some of the country's highest home insurance prices are in the central U.S., a region generally considered to be protected from climate-driven disasters such as wildfires and hurricanes.
n.pr
November 16, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Some of the country's highest home insurance prices are in the central U.S., a region generally considered to be protected from climate-driven disasters such as wildfires and hurricanes.
Reposted by R. Saravanan
You know how ChatGPT 5 is meant to fix stupid mistakes in maths? Not so much. Even when asked about stupid mistakes in maths.
November 5, 2025 at 5:49 PM
You know how ChatGPT 5 is meant to fix stupid mistakes in maths? Not so much. Even when asked about stupid mistakes in maths.
Reposted by R. Saravanan
Reposted by R. Saravanan
Have you wondered about trends & ENSO variability in Atlantic TC intensity/intensification? @scamargo.bsky.social and I did.
journals.ametsoc.org/view/journal...
journals.ametsoc.org/view/journal...
journals.ametsoc.org
November 5, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Have you wondered about trends & ENSO variability in Atlantic TC intensity/intensification? @scamargo.bsky.social and I did.
journals.ametsoc.org/view/journal...
journals.ametsoc.org/view/journal...
Reposted by R. Saravanan
In this article and the broader discourse about a possible “cat 6,” I’m fascinated by the dichotomy between the climate-centric scientists who are largely in favor of a cat-6 and the tropical cyclone-centric scientists who largely aren’t. (1/3)
As climate change super-sizes our storms, should our categories reflect that?
Thoughtful comments and discussion (all too rare today) from @weatherprof.bsky.social, @michaelemann.bsky.social, myself and others.
Check it out and LMK - what do YOU think?
Thoughtful comments and discussion (all too rare today) from @weatherprof.bsky.social, @michaelemann.bsky.social, myself and others.
Check it out and LMK - what do YOU think?
Category 6 is the new hurricane normal, say scientists
Human-caused climate change is making major hurricanes like Melissa much stronger, faster and ultimately more life-threatening
www.independent.co.uk
November 3, 2025 at 1:28 AM
In this article and the broader discourse about a possible “cat 6,” I’m fascinated by the dichotomy between the climate-centric scientists who are largely in favor of a cat-6 and the tropical cyclone-centric scientists who largely aren’t. (1/3)
Reposted by R. Saravanan
Here’s something really graphic for Halloween:
October 31, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Here’s something really graphic for Halloween:
Reposted by R. Saravanan
This 150M cat bond for Jamaica has a trigger design that uses hurricane central pressure and location.
That data is being collected by NOAA Hurricane Hunters who are currently working without pay.
www.artemis.bm/news/jamaica...
That data is being collected by NOAA Hurricane Hunters who are currently working without pay.
www.artemis.bm/news/jamaica...
October 27, 2025 at 4:26 PM
This 150M cat bond for Jamaica has a trigger design that uses hurricane central pressure and location.
That data is being collected by NOAA Hurricane Hunters who are currently working without pay.
www.artemis.bm/news/jamaica...
That data is being collected by NOAA Hurricane Hunters who are currently working without pay.
www.artemis.bm/news/jamaica...
Reposted by R. Saravanan
Absolutely fantastic study comparing anonymized outputs of climate analytics models.
Everyone loves to bag on flood (rightly so), but can we talk about how the spread here is "30mph breeze to Cat 5 hurricane" www.fca.org.uk/publication/... HT @ruarirhodes.bsky.social
Everyone loves to bag on flood (rightly so), but can we talk about how the spread here is "30mph breeze to Cat 5 hurricane" www.fca.org.uk/publication/... HT @ruarirhodes.bsky.social
October 24, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Absolutely fantastic study comparing anonymized outputs of climate analytics models.
Everyone loves to bag on flood (rightly so), but can we talk about how the spread here is "30mph breeze to Cat 5 hurricane" www.fca.org.uk/publication/... HT @ruarirhodes.bsky.social
Everyone loves to bag on flood (rightly so), but can we talk about how the spread here is "30mph breeze to Cat 5 hurricane" www.fca.org.uk/publication/... HT @ruarirhodes.bsky.social
Reposted by R. Saravanan
when giving a talk at Texas A&M, always start your talk with Howdy!
October 23, 2025 at 2:12 PM
when giving a talk at Texas A&M, always start your talk with Howdy!