Climate forecasts
Unlike short-term forecasts (a few days), which provide precise information about weather conditions, seasonal forecasts provide key predictions (warmer or colder, drier or wetter than usual) from monthly to seasonal information. To produce these seasonal forecasts, numerical models are used to simulate the interactions between the atmosphere and various slowly changing components of the climate system, such as oceans, sea ice, and water content in soil or snow. Sea surface temperature is one of the most important components that influence weather variables on a seasonal time scale. Seasonal forecasting provides useful information for various sectors including public health, disaster preparedness, water management, energy, and agriculture.