Science

How the Indian Ocean is linked to Europe's early-winter rain and storms

Source: Phys.org · Published 29 Oct 2026, 01:00

When we think about Europe's winter weather, the Indian Ocean is probably not the first place we look. We might picture Atlantic storms, cold air arriving from the north or rain sweeping across the Mediterranean. In my research, however, I look at how these familiar weather systems fit into a much larger climate system. My colleagues and I asked whether an ocean thousands of kilometers away could…

Key points

When we think about Europe's winter weather, the Indian Ocean is probably not the first place we look.
We might picture Atlantic storms, cold air arriving from the north or rain sweeping across the Mediterranean.
In my research, however, I look at how these familiar weather systems fit into a much larger climate system.
My colleagues and I asked whether an ocean thousands of kilometers away could…

How the Indian Ocean is linked to Europe's early-winter rain and storms

Key points

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