The Dynamics of Cold Surges over the Maritime Continent

Cold surges are large-scale monsoon weather systems that bring strong north-easterly winds, colder air, and sometimes very heavy rainfall and flooding over the Maritime Continent region between November and March of each year (i.e., the boreal winter). In some cases, cold surges are accompanied by dry and windy conditions. This thesis uses a combination of observations and high-resolution models to investigate the physical mechanisms of wet and dry surges, mainly focussing on the Singapore region. The relationship between cold surges and the Australian summer monsoon is also briefly explored.