Yi-Leng Chen

Yi-Leng Chen
Research Interests
Education
Honors
Publications
Grants
Teaching Activities
Service
Numerical Weather Prediction
TiMREX2008
Asia-Pacific Natural Hazard Conference 2012
Yi-Leng Chen
Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, SOEST
Department of Atmospheric Sciences
School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology
University of Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii 96822
Tel:  (808) 956-2570
Fax:  (808) 956-2877
yileng@hawaii.edu
Research Interests
My research interests are: Island effects on weather, climate, and extreme events over
subtropical islands and adjacent coastal waters including: the Hawaiian Islands,
Taiwan, Guam/CNMI, American Samoa Islands, Palau, and the Western Pacific. My
team also has conducted daily high-resolution (1-3 km) model forecasts for Hawaii,
Guam/CNMI, Palau, Republic of Marshall Islands and Micronesia. Our real-time
model forecasts are used as input for ocean circulation, wave and coastal
environmental models for public safety. Since 2008, our daily high resolution model
output has been approved by NCEP to enter the National Weather Service (NWS)
AWIPS computer system in the forecast room as high-resolution model guidance in
support of NWS daily forecasts. Prof. Chen has been studying the processes related to
localized heavy monsoon rainfall over Taiwan and southern China during the early
summer rainy season from routine observations and special data collected during
international field experiments: Taiwan Area Mesoscale Experiment (TAMEX 1987),
Terrain-influenced Monsoon Rainfall Experiment (TIMREX, 2008), South China Sea
Two-Island Monsoon Experiment (SCSTIMX-2017, 2018), and Prediction of Rainfall
Extremes Campaign in the Pacific (PRECIP 2022), in conjunction with numerical
simulations. His team also applies data assimilation to include unconventional data
and satellite observations in the model initial conditions. Since 1984, he has been
studying island effects on weather and climate over the Hawaiian Islands, and
adjacent waters from data analyses of routine observations and data from special field
observations (e;g., Hawaiian Rainband Project, 1990 and research cruises), and high-
resolution numerical modeling for summer trade-wind weather, high-wind and heavy-
rainfall events, wildfires and regional climate. Both Taiwan and the Hawaiian Islands
have similar problems with heavy rainfall and island induced airflow and weather.
They both are in a subtropical flow regime with orographic influences.
Prof. Chen’s specialty: Island-induced airflow, weather, and climate; localized heavy
rainfall, high winds and extreme weather events over subtropical Islands as well as in
the monsoon regions; tropical cyclone development over the Western Pacific and the
interactions of tropical cyclones with island terrain.
Education
Ph.D., University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, 1980
M.S., University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, 1976
B.S., National Central University, Chungli, Taiwan, 1972
Honors
Distinguished Alumni, 2009: Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Central University, Taiwan
Chair Professor in Atmospheric Scinces, 2013 - Present: National Central University, Taiwan.
2017 Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award.
Fellow, Meteorological Society of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
The 2019-2023 Most Cited Article Award, TAO "The relationship between the boundary layer moisture transport from the South China Sea and heavy rainfall over Taiwan" published in TAO Journal (Volume 31, No.2).
2025: 114th Special Contribution and Senior Outstanding Meteorologist of the Meteorological Society of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Publications
Chuss, C. J., and Y.-L. Chen, 2026: Comparing afternoon rainfall in taiwan’s diurnal regime with high-resolution water vapor profiles from micropulse lidar observations.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
(Submitted).
Sheridan, L. M., R. Krishnamurthy, T. M. Nguyen, Y.-L. Chen, W. I. Gustafson Jr., Y. Liu, F. Hsiao, R. K. Newsom, P. Spicer, E. Kassianov, M. Pekour, N. Bodini, and M. Severy: Performance of reanalysis and mesoscale models for wind resource assessment off the coast of Hawaii.
Wind Energy Science
(In Review).
Huang, M.-Q., P.-L. Lin; C.-C. Tu; S.-W. Hsu and Y.-L. Chen: Effect of low-level jets on the movement of the Mei-Yu front:
Mon. Wea. Rev.
. (In Press).
SOEST 12069
Chen, Y-L., Tu, C-C., 2026. The Mei-Yu Season Over the Taiwan Area. In: Robinson, W.A. (Ed.),
Encyclopedia of Atmospheric Sciences
, vol. 1. Elsevier, Academic Press, pp. 757–773.
file
).
SOEST 11799
Chen, C-Y., Y.-L. Chen, F. Hsiao, C-Y. Lin, 2025: A numerical study of the tornado-like vortex event over Oahu, Hawaii on 8 June 2003.
Geosci. Lett.
12
, 17(2025). (
).
SOEST 11922
Ke, C.-Y., P.-S. Tsai, C.-S. Kao, Y.-L. Chen, Y.-C. Liou, 2025: Dynamics of the extreme rainfall event on 1–2 June 2017 over Northern Taiwan: Insights from Radar wind retrieval, ensemble simulations, and spatially correlated K-Means clustering.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
153, no. 4., 617-635. (
) (
pdf file
).
SOEST 11921
Chen, Y.-L. and C.-C. Tu, 2024: The Mei-Yu Season over the Taiwan Area.
Reference Module in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences, Elsevier,
) (
pdf file
).
SOEST 11799
Li, N., Medina, G. G., Yang, Z., Cheung, K. F., Hitzl, D., Chen, Y.-L., 2023, Wave climate and energy resources in the Mariana Islands from a 42-year high-resolution hindcast.
Renewable Energy
212
, 803-817. (
Frazier, A. G., C. P. Giardina, T. W. Giambelluca, L. Brewington, Y.-L. Chen, P.-S. Chu, L. B. Fortini, D. Hall, D. A. Helweg, V. W. Keener, R. J. Longman, M. P. Licas, A. Mair, D. S. Oki, J. Reyes, S. Yelenik, C. Trauernicht, 2022: A century of Drought in Hawaii: Geospatial Analyis and Synthesis across Hydrological, Ecological, and Socioeconomic Scales.
Sustainability
14(19)
, 12023,(
DOI:10.3390/su141912023
).
SOEST 11403
Chen, Y.-L., C.-K. Wang, C.-C. Tu, F. Hsiao, P.-L. Lin, 2022: Revisiting a Mei-Yu Front Associated with Heavy Rainfall over Taiwan During 6–7 June 2003.
Atmosphere
13 Special Issue "Feature Papers in Meteorological Science"
, 644. (
DOI: 10.3390/atmos13050644
). SOEST Contribution number 11500.
Chen, Y.-L., 2022: Low-Level Jets in Heavy Rainfall in Taiwan, Subjects: Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences, Scholarly Community Encyclopedia. (
Chen, Y-L, C.-C. Tu, F. Hsiao, C.-S. Chen, P.-L. Lin, and P.-H. Lin, 2022: An Overview of Low-Level Jets (LLJs) and Their Roles in Heavy Rainfall over the Taiwan Area during the Early Summer Rainy Season.
Meteorology
1(1)
, 64-112. (
DOI: 10.3390/meteorology1010006
Tu, C.-C., Y.-L. Chen, P.-L. Lin and M.-Q. Huang, 2022: Analysis and simulations of a heavy rainfall event associated with the passage of a shallow front over Northern Taiwan on 2 June 2017.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
150
, 505-528. (
DOI: 10.1175/MWR-D-21-0113.1
Hsiao, F., Y.-L. Chen, H. V. Nguyen, D. E. Hitzl, and R. Ballard, 2021: Effects of Trade Wind Strength on Airflow and Cloudiness over Oahu,
Mon. Wea. Rev.
149
, 3037-3062. (
DOI: 10.1175/MWR-D-20-0399.1
).
SOEST 11405
Hsiao, F., Y.-L. Chen, and D. E. Hitzl, 2020: Heavy Rainfall Events over Central Oahu under Weak Wind Conditions during Seasonal Transitions,
Mon. Wea. Rev.
148
, 4117-4141. (
DOI: 10.1175/MWR-D-19-0358.1
).
SOEST 11404
Hitzl, D.E., Y.-L. Chen and F. Hsiao, 2020: Wintertime easterly and southeasterly airflow in the 'Alenuihaha Channel,
Mon. Wea. Rev.
148
, 1337-1362.
SOEST 10947
Tu C.-C., Y.-L. Chen, P.-L. Lin, P.-H. Lin, 2020: The relationship between the boundary layer moisture transport from the South China Sea and heavy rainfall over Taiwan,
Terr. Atmos. Ocean. Sci.
31
, 159-176.
SOEST 10948
Huang, Y.-F., and Y.-L. Chen, 2019: Numerical simulations of seasonal variations of rainfall over the Island of Hawai'i.
J. Appl. Meteor. and Climate
58
, No. 6, 1219-1232.
SOEST 10712
Tu, C.-C., Y.-L. Chen, P.-L. Lin and Y. Du, 2019: Characteristics of marine boundary layer jet over South China Sea during the early summer rainy season of Taiwan.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
147
, No. 2, 409-431.
SOEST 10639
Chen, Y.-L., Y.-J. Chu, C.-S. Chen, C.-C. Tu, J.-H. Teng, and P.-L. Lin, 2018: Analysis and Simulations of a Heavy Rainfall Event over Northern Taiwan during 11-12 June 2012.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
146
, 2697-2715 (https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-18-0001.1).
SOEST 11401
Dorian, T., B. Ward, and Y.-L. Chen, 2018: Tropical Cyclone Amos (2016) forecasting challenges: A model's perspective.
Tropical Cyclone Research and Review
,DOI: 10.6057/2018TCRR03.03.
SOEST 11402
Storlazzi1 C. D., M. van Ormondt, Y.-L. Chen and E. P. Elias, 2017: Modeling fine-scale coral larval dispersal and interisland connectivity to help design mutually-supporting coral reef Marine Protected Areas: Insights from Maui Nui, Hawaii.
Front. Mar. Sci.
:381. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2017.00381.
SOEST 11400
Li, L. and Y.-L. Chen, 2017: Numerical Simulations of Two Trapped Mountain Lee Waves Downstream of Oahu.
J. Appl. Meteor. and Climate
56
,1305-1324
Tu, C.-C., Y.-L. Chen, S.-Y. Chen, Y.-H. Kuo and P.-L. Lin, 2017: Impacts of including rain evaporative cooling in the initial conditions on the prediction of a coastal heavy rainfall event during TiMREX.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
145
, 253-277 (
pdf
file
Winning, T., Y.-L. Chen, F. Xie, 2017: Estimation of the Marine Boundary Layer Height Over the Central North Pacific Using GPS Radio Occultation.
Atmos. Res.
183
, 362-370 (doi:10.1016/j.atmosres.2016.08.005). (
pdf
file
Tam, E. K., R. Miike, S. Labrenz, E. Avol, A. J. Sutton, T. Elias, K. Tantisira, Y.-L. Chen, J. Davis, D. Dockery, 2016: Volcanic air pollution over the Island of Hawai¿i: Emissions, dispersal, composition - Association with respiratory symptoms and lung function in Hawaii Island School children.
Envir. Inter.
92-93: 543-552. (DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2016.03.025).
Li, N., K.-F. Cheung, J. S. Stopa, F. Hsiao, Y.-L. Chen, V. Luis, P. Cross, 2016: Thirty-four Years of Hawaii Wave Hindcast from Downscaling of Climate Forecast System Reanalysis.
Ocean Modelling
100
(2016), 78-95
Du, Y., Y.-L. Chen and Q. Zhang, 2015: Numerical simulations of the Boundary Layer Jet off the southeastern coast of China.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
143
, 1212-1231
Hsiao, F., and Y.-L Chen, 2014: Revisiting the Structure and Characteristics of an Early Summer Monsoon Trough over South China in 1975.
SOLA
10
, 194-198. (
DOI code: 10.2151/sola.2014-041
Hitzl, D.E., Y.-L. Chen and H.V. Nguyen, 2014: Numerical simulations and observations of airflow through the 'Alenuihaha Channel, Hawaii.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
142
, 4696-4718
Nguyen, H.V., and Y.-L. Chen, 2014: Improvements to a Tropical Cyclone Initialization Scheme and Impacts on Forecasts.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
142
, 4340-4356
Du, Y., Q. Zhang, Y.-L. Chen, Y. Zhao, and X. Wang, 2014: Numerical simulations of spatial distributions and diurnal variations of low-level jets in China during early summer.
J. Climate.
27
, 5747-5767.
Chen, C.-Y., Y-L. Chen and H. V. Nguyen, 2014: The spin-up process of a cyclone vortex in a tropical cyclone initialization scheme and its impact on the initial TC structure.
SOLA
10
, 93-97.(
pdf
file
Zhou, C and Y.-L. Chen, 2014: Assimilation of GPS RO Refractivity data and its Impact on Simulations of Trade Wind Inversion
and a Winter Cold Front in Hawaii.
Natural Science
, 605-614.(
DOI code: 10.4236/ns.2014.68060
)(Special Issue on "Weather Forecasting")
Tu, C.-C., Y.-L. Chen, C.-S. Chen, P.-L. Lin and P.-H. Lin, 2014: A comparison of two heavy rainfall events during the
Terrain-influenced Monsoon Rainfall Experiment (TiMREX) 2008.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
142
, 2436-2463
Chen, Y.-L., P.-L. Lin, F. Hsiao, P.-S. Chu, M.-H. Su, 2013: Asia-pacific natural hazard conference: disastrous weather in a changing climate.
Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc.
94
, ES175-ES178.
DOI code: 10.1175/BAMS-D-12-00220.1
Chen, C.-Y., Y.-L. Chen, C.-S. Chen, P.-L. Lin, and C.-L. Liu, 2013:
Revisiting the heavy rainfall event over northern Taiwan on 3 June 1984.
Terr. Atmos. Ocean. Sci.
24
, 999-1020. (DOI code: 10.3319/TAO.2013.07.04.01(A))
Giambelluca, T. W., Q. Chen, A. G. Frazier, J. P. Price, Y.-L. Chen, P.-S. Chu, J. K. Eischeid, D. M. Delparte, 2013: Online rainfall atlas of Hawai'i.
Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc.
94
,313-316. (
Stopa, J. E., J.-F. Filipot, N. Li, K. F. Cheung, Y.-L. Chen, and L. Vega, 2013: Wave energy resources along the Hawaiian Island chain.
Renewable Energy.
55
, 305-321.(
pdf
file
Xu, W., E. J. Zipser, Y.-L. Chen, C. Liu, .-C. Liou, W.-C. Lee and B.
Jou, 2012 :An orography-associated extreme rainfall event during
TiMREX: triggering, storm evolution, and maintenance.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
140
, 2555–2574.
Jayawardena, S., Y.-L. Chen, A.J.Nash and K. Kodama, 2012: A
comparison of three prolonged periods of heavy rainfall over the
Hawaiian islands.
J. Appl. Meteor. and Climate
51
, 722-744.
Stopa, J. E., K. F. Cheung , Y.-L. Chen, 2011: Assessment of wave energy resources in
Hawaii.
J. Renewable Energy.
36
, 554-567.
Lin, P.-L., Y.-L. Chen, C.-S. Chen, C.-L. Liu, and C.-Y. Chen, 2011: Numerical experiments investigating the orographic effects on a heavy rainfall event over the northwestern coast of Taiwan during TAMEX IOP 13.
Meteorol Atmos Phys
114
, 35-50.
Tu, C.-C., and Y.-L. Chen, 2011: Favorable conditions for the development of a heavy rainfall event over Oahu during the
2006 wet period .
Wea. Forecasting
26
, 280-300.
Nguyen, H. V., and Y.-L. Chen, 2011: High resolution initialization and
simulations of typhoon Morakot (2009).
Mon. Wea. Rev.
139
, 1463-1491
Hartley, T. and Y.-L. Chen, 2010: Characteritics of summer trade-wind rainfall over Oahu.
Wea. Forecasting
25
, 1797-1815.(
pdf
file
Carlis, D., L., Y.-L. Chen, and V. Morris, 2010: Numerical simulations of island-scale airflow and the Maui vortex
during summer trade-wind conditions.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
138
2706-2736. (
pdf file
Nguyen, H. V., Y.-L. Chen, and F. Fujioka, 2010: Numerical Simulations of island effects on airflow and weather during the summer over the Island of Oahu.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
138
, 2253–2280.
pdf

file
Kerns, B., Y.-L. Chen and M.-Y. Chang 2010: The diurnal cycle of winds, rain and clouds over Taiwan during the Mei-Yu, Summer, and Autumn regimes.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
138
,  497-516. (
pdf

file
Chen, C.-S., Y.-L. Chen, P.-C. Lin, P.-L. Lin, C.-L. Liu, C.-J. Su, and W.-C. Peng, 2008: An investigation of extremely heavy rainfall events over southwestern Taiwan during the Mei-Yu season from 1997-2006.
Atmos. Sci.
35
, 287-304 (In Mandarin with English Abstract). (Available from Meteor. Soc. of the Rep. of China, 64 Kung-Yuan Road, Taipei, Taiwan)
Yang, Y., Y.-L. Chen, and F. M. Fujioka, 2008: Effects of trade-wind

strength and direction on the leeside circulations and rainfall of the Island

of Hawaii.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
136
, 4799-4818.
Yang, Y., and Y.-L. Chen, 2008: Effects of terrain heights and sizes on

island-scale circulations and rainfall for the island of Hawaii during HaRP.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
136
, 120-146. (
pdf

file
Esteban, M. A., and Y.-L. Chen, 2008: The Impact of Trade-wind Strength on

Precipitation over the Windward Side of the Island of Hawaii.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
136
, 913-928. (
pdf

file
Chen, C.-S., Y.-L. Chen, W.-C. Chen, and P.-L. Lin, 2007: The Statistics

of Heavy Rainfall Occurrences in Taiwan.
Wea. Forecasting.
22

981-1002. (
pdf

file
Zhang, Y., Y.-L. Chen, and K. Kodama, 2005: Validation of the coupled

NCEP Mesoscale Spectral Model and an advanced Land Surface Model over

the Hawaiian Islands. Part II: A high wind event.
Wea. Forecasting
, 20
, 873-895.
Zhang, Y., Y.-L. Chen, S.-Y. Hong, H.-M. H. Juang, and K. Kodama, 2005:

Validation of the coupled NCEP Mesoscale Spectral Model and an advanced

Land Surface Model over the Hawaiian Islands. Part I: Summer trade wind

conditions and a heavy rainfall event.
Wea. Forecasting
, 20
, 847-872.
Zhang, Y., Y.-L. Chen, T. A. Schroeder, and K. Kodama, 2005: Numerical

simulations of sea breeze circulations over northwest Hawaii.
Wea. Forecasting
, 20
, 827-846.
Yang, Y., Y.-L. Chen, and F. M. Fujioka, 2005: Numerical simulations of

the island-induced circulation over the island of Hawaii during HaRP.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
133
, 3693-3713. (
pdf

file
Juang, H.-M. H., C.-T. Lee, Y. Zhang, M.-C. Wu, Y.-L. Chen, K. Kodama,

and S.-C. Chen, 2005: Applying horizontal diffusion on pressure surface

to mesocale models on terrain-following coordinates.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
133
, 1384-1402.
Chen, C.-S., W.-C. Chen, Y.-L. Chen, P.-L. Lin, and S.-J. Lai, 2005: An

investigation of orographic effects on two heavy rainfall events over

southwestern Taiwan during the Mei-Yu season.
Atmos. Res.
73(1)
,101-130.
Foster, J., M. Bevis, Y.-L. Chen, S. Businger, and Y. Zhang, 2003: The

Ka'u Storm (Nov 2000): Imaging precipitable water using GPS.
J.

Geophys. Res.
108
, D18, 4585.
Yang, Y., and Y.-L. Chen, 2003: Circulations and rainfall on the lee side

of the island of Hawaii during HaRP.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
131
, 2525-2542.
Chen, C.-S., and Y.-L. Chen, 2003: The rainfall characteristics

of Taiwan.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
131
, 1323-1341.
Yeh, H.-C., and Y.-L. Chen, 2003: Numerical simulations of the barrier

jet over northwestern Taiwan during the Mei-Yu season.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
131
, 1396-1407.
Yeh, H.-C., and Y.-L. Chen, 2002: The role of offshore convergence on

coastal rainfall during TAMEX IOP 3.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
130
, 2709-2730.
Chen, X., and Y.-L. Chen, 2002: Kinetic energy budgets of the low-level

jet during TAMEX IOP 5.
J. Meteor. Soc. Japan
80
, 1-19.
Frye, J., and Y.-L. Chen, 2001: Evolution of downslope flow under

strong opposing trade winds and frequent trade-wind rainshowers over

the island of Hawaii.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
129
, 956-977
Chen, Y.-L., and J. Feng, 2001: Numerical simulations of airflow and

cloud distributions over the windward side of the island of Hawaii.

Part I: The effects of trade-wind inversion.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
129
, 1117-1134.
Feng, J., and Y.-L. Chen, 2001: Numerical simulations of airflow and

cloud distributions over the windward side of the island of Hawaii.

Part II: Nocturnal flow regime.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
129

1135-1147.
Teng, J.-H., C.-S. Chen, T.-C. C. Wang, and Y.-L. Chen, 2000:

Orographic effects on a squall-line system.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
128
, 495-506.
Chen, Y.-L., and S.-F. Tseng, 2000: Comments on "The intensification

of the low-level jet during the development of mesoscale convective

systems on a Mei-Yu front".
Mon. Wea. Rev.
128
, 1123-1138.
Li, J., and Y.-L. Chen, 1999: A case study of nocturnal rainshowers

over the windward coastal region of the island of Hawaii.
Mon.

Wea. Rev.
127
, 2674-2692.
Wang, J. J., H.-M. H. Juang, K. Kodama, S. Businger, Y.-L. Chen, and

J. Partain, 1998: Application of the NCEP regional spectral model to

improve weather forecasts in Hawaii.
Wea. Forecasting
13

560-575.
Yeh, H.-C., and Y.-L. Chen, 1998: Characteristics of the rainfall

distribution over Taiwan during TAMEX.
J. Appl. Meteor.
37
, 1457-1469.
Feng, J., and Y.-L. Chen, 1998: Evolution of katabatic winds on the

island of Hawaii during 10 August 1990.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
126

2185-2199.
Li, J., and Y.-L. Chen, 1998: Barrier jets during TAMEX.
Mon.

Wea. Rev.
126
, 959-971.
Wang, J.-J., and Y.-L. Chen, 1998: A case study of Hawaiian

trade-wind rainbands and their interaction with the island-induced

airflow.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
126
, 409-423.
Li, J., Y.-L. Chen, and W.-C. Lee, 1997: Analysis of a heavy rainfall

event during TAMEX.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
125
, 1060-1082.
Chen, Y.-L., X. A. Chen, S. Chen, and Y.-H. Kuo, 1997: A numerical

study of the low-level jet during TAMEX IOP 5.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
125
, 2583-2604.
Chen, Y.-L., 1996: Airflow over the island of Hawaii.
Hawaii Medical

Journal
55
, 44-45. (Special issue on VOG).
Wang, J.-J., and Y.-L. Chen, 1995: Characteristics of near-surface

wind and thermal profiles on the windward slopes of the island of

Hawaii.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
123
, 3481-3501.
Chen, Y.-L., and J. Li, 1995: Large-scale conditions favorable for the

development of heavy precipitation during TAMEX IOP 3.
Mon. Wea.

Rev.
123
, 2978-3002.
Chen, X. A., and Y.-L. Chen, 1995: Development of low-level jets

during TAMEX.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
123
, 1695-1719.
Chen, Y.-L., and J. Feng, 1995: The influences of inversion height on

the precipitation and airflow over the island of Hawaii.
Mon. Wea.

Rev.
123
, 1660-1676.
Chen, Y.-L., and J. Li, 1995: Characteristics of surface airflow and

pressure patterns over the island of Taiwan during TAMEX.
Mon. Wea.

Rev.
123
, 695-716.
Chen, Y.-L., and J.-J. Wang, 1995: The effects of precipitation on

the surface temperature and airflow over the island of Hawaii.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
123
, 681-694.
Chen, Y.-L., X. A. Chen, and Y.-X. Zhang, 1994: A diagnostic study

of the low-level jet during TAMEX IOP 5.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
122
, 2257-2284.
Chen, Y.-L., and J.-J. Wang, 1994: Diurnal variation of surface

thermodynamic fields on the island of Hawaii.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
122
, 2125-2138.
Chen, Y.-L., and A. J. Nash, 1994: Diurnal variation of surface

airflow and rainfall frequencies on the island of Hawaii.
Mon. Wea.

Rev.
122
, 34-56.
Chen, Y.-L., 1993: Some synoptic-scale aspects of the surface fronts

over southern China during TAMEX.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
121

50-64.
Chen, Y.-L., and N. B.-F. Hui, 1992: Analysis of a relatively dry front

during the Taiwan Area Mesoscale Experiment.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
120
, 2442-2468.
Chen, W., Y.-L. Chen, and J. Chen, 1992: A numerical study of the PBL

conditions over 34 reclaimed grassland.
Acta Meteor. Sinica
, 345-354.
Chen, Y.-L., and N. B.-F. Hui, 1990: Analysis of a shallow front during

TAMEX.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
118
, 2607-2623.
Chen, Y.-L., Y.-X. Zhang, and N. B.-F. Hui, 1989: Analysis of a surface

front during the early summer rainy season over Taiwan.
Mon. Wea.

Rev.
117
, 909-931.
Chen, Y.-L., 1989: Aspects of midlatitude influences on the surface

front over southern China during TAMEX.
Papers. Meteor. Res.
12
, 159-174.
Chen, Y.-L., 1988: Life cycle effects of cloud clusters on the moisture

distribution over the eastern Atlantic.
J. Meteor. Soc. Japan
66
, 387-391.
Chen, Y.-L., 1987: Thermodynamic effects of mesoscale convective systems

on the environment over the eastern Atlantic.
J. Meteor. Soc. Japan
65
, 391-400.
Chen, Y.-L., 1985: On the diagnosis of the net cloud mass flux in GATE.
J. Atmos. Sci.
42
, 1757-1769.
Chen, Y.-L., 1985: Tropical squall lines over the eastern Atlantic during

GATE.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
113
, 2015-2022.
Ogura, Y., and Y.-L. Chen, 1984: Reply.
J. Atmos. Sci.
41

308-309.
Chen, Y.-L., and Y. Ogura, 1982: Modulaion of convective activity by

large-scale flow patterns in GATE.
J. Atmos. Sci.
39

1260-1279.
Ogura, Y., Y.-L. Chen, J. Russell, and S.-T. Soong, 1979: On the formation

of organized convective systems observed over the eastern Atlantic.
Mon. Wea. Rev.
17
, 426-441.
Ogura, Y., and Y.-L. Chen, 1977: A life history of an intensive meso-scale

convective storm in Oklahoma.
J. Atmos. Sci.
33
, 1458-1476.
Grants
NSF, Heavy precipitation events during TAMEX. $97,100,

04/01/87-02/28/90. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
NSF, Analyses of surface fronts during TAMEX. $137,000,

11/15/89-10/31/92. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
NSF, TAMEX supplements. $16,243, 01/15/92-10/31/92.

(PI: Y.-L. Chen)
NSF, Diurnal evolution of Hawaiian Rainbands. $140,000,

07/01/90-05/31/93. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
NSF, REU suppliments. $12,879, 07/01/90-05/31/93.

(PI: Y.-L. Chen)
NSF, Conditions favorable for the development of heavy precipitation

during TAMEX. $170,000, 07/15/92-12/31/94.

(PI: Y.-L. Chen)
NSF, Relationship between mesoscale environment and Hawaiian rain band.

$157,919, 01/01/94-06/30/96. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
NSF, Synoptic and mesoscale analyses of heavy precipitation events

during TAMEX. $235,331, 03/15/95-02/28/99. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
NSF, Relationship between mesoscale environment and Hawaiian rain

band (II). $292,607, 01/01/97-12/31/00. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
COMET/UCAR, Improvement of lower boundary conditions and model

verifications for the mesoscale spectral model. $6,815,

10/15/98-06/30/00. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
NOAA, Application of the NCEP nested regional spectral model to improve

heavy rainfall and high wind forecasting in Hawaii. $37,500,

09/01/99-06/30/01. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
COMET/UCAR, Application of the NCEP nested regional spectral model to

improve weather forecasting in Hawaii. $88,597, 01/01/98-03/31/02.

(PI: Y.-L. Chen)
NSF, Effects of island-induced circulation on localized heavy rainfall.

$204,642, 06/15/98-12/31/02. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
COMET/UCAR, High resolution simulations of high wind and heavy rainfall

events. $10,000, 10/01/01-09/30/02. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
NOAA, Application of the NCEP high resolution spectral model to improve

weather forecasting in Hawaii. $24,972, 10/01/01-12/31/02.

(PI: Y.-L. Chen)
USFS, Case study of mesoscale fire weather modeling in Hawaii.

$50,000, 07/01/01-06/30/03. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
USFS, Mesoscale modeling for fire management applications in Hawaii.

$60,000, 03/31/03-09/30/04. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
COMET/UCAR, Application of high resolution mesoscale models to improve

weather forecasting in Hawaii. $10,000, 01/01/04-12/31/04.

(PI: Y.-L. Chen)
HPC/UH#, Effects of trade-wind strength on the lee-side circulation

of the island of Hawaii. $25,009, 07/01/04-08/31/05. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
COMET/UCAR, Characteristics of the trade-wind inversion over the Hawaiian

Islands. $10,000, 11/01/04-03/31/06. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
HPC/UH#, Numerical simulations of airflow and weather over the island of Oahu.

$13,395, 07/01/05-08/31/06. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
NSF, Island-scale circulations over the island of Hawaii. $263,340,

08/01/02-01/31/07. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
COMET/UCAR, Application of high resolution weather models to improve weather forecasting

over the Hawaiian Islands. $10,000, 07/01/06-09/30/07. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
HPC/UH#,

High resolution simulations of heavy rainfall events over the Hawaiian Islands. $13,215, 01/01/07-12/31/07. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
NOAA, Development of integrated systems and products for fire risk management and

fire weather forecasts. $110,000, 06/01/06-06/30/08. (PI: Y.-L. Chen)
COMET/UCAR, Analyses of an unusual heavy rainfall period over the Hawaiian

Islands. $10,702, 07/01/07-06/30/08. (PI: Yi-Leng Chen)
USFS/USDA, High resolution fire weather/fire danger forecasts for Hawaii.
$145,000, 12/15/04-09/30/09. (PI: Y.-L. Chen).
DTC/UCAR, A Study of the Island-Scale Numercial Weather Forecasting Using
WRF/LSM models over Hawaii. $13,414, 07/01/08-08/31/09. (PI: Y.-L. Chen).
PDC, Development and Improvement High-Resolution Weather Models for Vog
Transport in Hawaii and Significant Weather Events in Vietnam. $65,338.
09/15/08-12/31/09. (PI: Y.-L. Chen).
COMET/UCAR, High-Resolution Weather Modeling to Improve Local Weather
Forecasts over the Hawaiian Islands. $11,962. 06/01/2009-05/31/2010. (PI:
Y.-L. Chen).
COMET/UCAR, Validation of the High-resolution WRF-NM/LSM over the
Hawaiian Islands. $11,913, 06/01/2009-05/31/2010. (PI: Y.-L. Chen).
US Army Corps of Engineers and State of Hawaii: Revision of the Rainfall
Atlas of Hawaii. $66,759 (Chen's portion), 11/01/2008-05/31/2011.
NOAA, Developing the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS):
Atmospheric Modeling Component. $300,889. (Chen's portion)
10/01/07-12/31/11.
USFS/USDA, Integrated weather/fire forecasting applications in Hawaii.
$85,000. 08/01/09-/06/30/12. (PI: Yi-Leng Chen).
NCAR, Advanced Study Program: $18,090 (Graduate Student Chuan-Chi Tu;
Faculty adviser: Yi-Leng Chen) 04/01/2012-12/31/2012.
NOAA, Development of an experimental high-resolution numerical weather
prediction system for the Northern Mariana Islands/Guam. $100,000.
02/02/2013-05/31/2015. (PI: Yi-Leng Chen)
DOE, Advanced Wave Modeling (Atmospheric modeling component): $252,063.
(Chen's portion) 09/15/08-09/30/15.
UCAR/NOAA, GOES-R Partners Project-Applications of satellite data
for model initialization and verification to improve weather forecasting in Hawaii.
$19,979. 08/17/2015-08/31/2016. (PI: Yi-Leng Chen)
Project: A High-Resolution Tropical Cyclone Initialization Scheme for the Central
Weather Bureau, Sponsor: National Central University, Taiwan. Award: $50,021.
08/18/2015-12/31/2016.
UCAR/NOAA, lmprovements to an experimental high-resolution numerical weather prediction system
for the Northern Marians Islands/Guam. $19,979. 10/8/2015-2/28/2017 (PI: Yi-Leng Chen).
NOAA, Developing the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS):
Atmospheric Modeling Component. $385,715. (Chen's portion)
06/01/11-5/31/17.
NSF, Characteristics of Island-scale Airflow and Climate over the Hawaiian Islands
$402,329. 02/01/2012-12/31/2018 (PI: Yi-Leng Chen)
IISI, A High-Resolution Tropical Cyclone Initialization Scheme for the Central Weather Bureau (II). $104,587. 11/01/2015-12/31/2018.
COMET/UCAR/NOAA, High resolution experimental forecasts over the Hawaiian Islands, Guam/CNMI, American Samoa and hindcast of historical tropical cyclones. $14,989, 05/22/2019-04/30/2020 (PI: Yi-Leng Chen)
COMET/UCAR/NOAA, Application of a TC initialization scheme to improve intensity forecasts $14,989. 9/10/2019-7/31/2020 (PI: Yi-Leng Chen)
COMET/UCAR/NOAA, Proposal for a Multi-Year Cooperative Agreement for Education, Training and Capacity Development for Weather, Water and Climate Forecasting (ETCD), Award: $14,999. 12/09/2020-6/30/2022 (PI: Yi-Leng Chen)
OIA, Pacific Island Ocean Observing System for the Enhancing Public Safety with Improved Atmospheric and Wave Forecasts for Guam, CNMI, and American Samoa. $293,555 (Chen's portion) (PI: Melissa Iwamoto). 07/01/2018-09/30/2022.
NSF Supplement, $30,000, 08/01/2019-07/31/2024.
NOAA: Empowering Ocean Stakeholders: Advancing the Pacific Island Ocean
Observing System (PacIOOS). (PI: Melissa Iwamoto; Co-I: Y.-L. Chen), Chen's portion: WRF Forecasts $429,063 (Year 1-4). 07/01/2021-06/30/2026.
UCAR/NOAA: Education, Training, and Capacity Development for Weather, Water
and Climate Forecasting. $15,002, 09/01/2023-08/31/2024. (PI: Yi-Leng Chen).
OIA, Dynamical Downscaling for El Niño Events for Guam/CNMI and Improved
Atmospheric Forecasts for the Insular Pacific. $227,542 (PI: Melissa Iwamoto, Co-PI:
Y.-L. Chen). 02/01/2024-01/31/2026.
United Nations: Enhancing Climate Information and Knowledge Services for
resilience in 5 island countries of the Pacific Ocean, United Nations Environment
Porgramme (UNEP) 2021-2027. 07/01/2021-12/01/2027. Project Total: $1,996,566.77
(PI: Melissa Iwamoto; Co-I: Y.-L. Chen and 3 others).
UCAR/NOAA: Education, Training, and Capacity Development for Weather, Water
and Climate Forecasting. $14,985, 09/01/2024-09/30/2025. (PI: Y.-L. Chen).
National Institute of Environmental Healths
High Performance Computing/University of Hawaii
Teaching Activities
I have graduated with 12 PhD students (including one this semester) and numerous
MS students as their thesis advisor. I also served as a joint advisor for Weixin Xu
from the University of Utah, Yu Du from the Peking University, C.Y. Chen from the
National Central University. Currently I am hosting a PhD student, Jeong-Eun, from
the Kyungpook National University, S. Korea.
Graduate Students:
Norman B.-F. Hui (MS, 1988), Yuxia Zhang (MS, 1989), Andrew J. Nash (MS, 1992), Kiattisak Thangtrongsakol (MS, 1992), Xin An
Chen (PhD, 1995), Jian-Jian Wang (PhD, 1995), Jun Li (PhD, 1996), Jeffrey L. Frye (MS, 1996), JiuHua Feng (PhD, 1998), Hsi-Chyi
Yeh (PhD, 1999), Mary Ann Esteban (MS, 2002), Brandon Kerns (MS, 2003), Treena Loos (MS, 2004), Yongxin Zhang (PhD, 2004),
Jennifer B. Bingaman (MS, 2005), Yang Yang (PhD, 2005), DaNa L. Carlis (PhD, 2007), I. Shiro Jayawardena (MS, 2007), N. P. Smith
(MS, 2009), Sandra Richard (MS, 2010), Hiep Van Nguyen (MS, 2006; PhD, 2011), Chuan-Chi Tu (MS, 2008; PhD, 2013), Thomas
Winning, Jr. (MS, 2014), Liye Li (MS, 2015), Yu-Fen Huang (MS, 2016), Jie Chen (MS, 2016), Y. Fan (MS,2017), Z. Li (2019; MS),
Feng Hsiao (PhD, 2020), J. Zhu (MS, 2020), Q. Sun (MS, 2020), Chuan-Kai Wang (MS, 2021), Rachael Eichelberger-Iga (MS, 2022),
David Hitzl (MS, 2013; PhD, 2024), Tien Manh Nguyen (PhD, in progress), Cameron Chuss (PhD, in progress),
Mingpo Tao (PhD, in progress).
Postdocs or Visiting Researchers:
J.-H. Teng (1996-1997), M.-Y. Chang (1996-1997), J. Li (1996-1998), H.-C. Yeh (2001, 2002, one month each year),Y. Zhang (2005),
J.-S. Huang (2005), H.-H. Lin (2007), S.-C. Lin (2008), Hsi-Chyi Yeh (2008-2009), Chunhua Zhou (2009-2010), Hiep Van Nguyen
(2011-2012), Yu Du (2012-2013), Chih-Ying Chen (2015), Feng Hsiao (2020-2024).
Here Are Some of My Successful Students:
DaNa Carlis: Director, National Severe Storm Lab (NSSL)/NOAA, Noman, OK.
Hiep Nguyen, Director, Applied Geophysics Center (AGPC), Vietnam Academy of Science and
Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam
Yongxin Zhang, Scientist III, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO.
Yang Yang, Scientist III, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, New Zealand.
Jian-Jian, Wang, Associate Research Scientist, Earth System Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, MD.
Brandon Kerns, Senior Research Scientist, Department of Atmospheric Science, University of
Washington, Seattle, WA.
Andrew Nash, The Meteorologist-in-Charge (MIC), National Weather Service, Boston, MA.
Mary Ann Esteban, Professor, Kapiolani Community College, Oahu.
Shiro Jayawardena, Director, Forecasting and Decision Support, Sri Lanka Meteorological
Service (retired).
Hsi-Chyi Yeh, Chair, General Education, Aletheia University, Taiwan.
Yu Du, Professor, National Sun-Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, China; Associate Editor, Monthly
Weather Review.
Weixin Xu, Professor, National Sun-Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, China.
Liye Li, Research Scientist, WMO, United Nations.
Chuan-Chi Tu, Research Scientist, National Central University, Zhongli, Taiwan.
Chih-Ying Chen: Research Scientist, Academic Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
David Hitzl, Meteorologist, U.S. Navy at the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC) in Monterey, California.
Feng Hsiao, Postdoc Researcher, NOAA Center in Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Howard University, DC.
Courses Taught:
ATMO 101     Introduction to Meteorology
ATMO 302     Atmospheric Physics
ATMO 303     Introduction to Atmospheric Dynamics
MET    352     Theoretical Meteorology I
MET    353     Theoretical Meteorology II
ATMO 399     Directed Reading
ATMO 402     Applied Atmospheric Dynamics
ATMO 405     Satellite Meteorology
ATMO 412     Meteorological Analysis Lab
ATMO 416     Tropical Analysis Lab
ATMO 606     Cumulus Dynamics
ATMO 607     Mesoscale Meteorology
ATMO 610     Tropical Meteorology
ATMO 699     Directed Individual Studies
ATMO 765b   Seminar in Meteorology: General
ATMO 765c   Seminar in Meteorology: Research Results
ATMO 752     Special topics in Mesoscale Meteorology
Service
Frontiers in Earth Science-Atmospheric Science Section, Editorial Board, 2016-2022, Associate Editor, 2022-present
Atmosphere, Editorial Board, 2021-present
Guest Editor: Atmosphere, Special Issue "Island Effects on Weather and Climate” 2024- Present.
Numerical Weather Prediction
Wind and Rain Modeling and Forecasts for Hawaii and Pacific Islands
Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System
Poster: Fire Risks, Renewable Energy Assessment and Forecasting
Poster: Integrated System and Products for Fire
Risk Assessment in Hawaii
Poster: Integrated System and Products for Fire
Risk Assessment in Hawaii
Poster: Very High Spatial Resolution Modeling
of Hawaii Weather and Climate
Poster: High Resolution Numerical Simulations
of Airflow and Weather over the Island of Oahu
Poster: Numerical Simulations of Spatial Distributions and Diurnal Variations of Low-level Jets in China during Early Summer
Poster: Numerical Simulations and Observations of Airflow through the Alenuihaha Channel, Hawaii
Poster: Numerical Simulations of Two Local thunderstorms over Central Oahu during the Warm
Season
Poster: Revisiting a Mei-Yu Front Associated with Heavy Rainfall over Taiwan during 6–7 June 2003