Dr. Mahendra Nimmakanti

Dr. Mahendra Nimmakanti

Project Scientist · Postdoctoral Scholar

IISc Bangalore (CAOS)  ·  Stanford University

Monsoon Dynamics ENSO AMOC Climate Modeling CESM2 WRF Python
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About Me

Dr. Mahendra Nimmakanti

Dr. Mahendra Nimmakanti

Project Scientist  ·  Postdoctoral Scholar

IISc Bangalore (CAOS)
Stanford University

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Climate scientist with a Ph.D. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, specializing in climate dynamics and monsoon variability. Demonstrated expertise in advanced climate modelling (CESM2, RegCM5, WRF) with proficiency in Python programming and high-performance computing environments to investigate complex atmospheric phenomena. Currently a Project Scientist at IISc Bangalore (Centre for Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences), with a Postdoctoral Scholar appointment at Stanford University’s Department of Earth System Science beginning August 2027.

As an independent researcher with strong analytical capabilities, I have successfully analyzed large-scale climate datasets, developed advanced diagnostic tools for climate system transitions, and collaborated with international research teams. My research portfolio includes multiple peer-reviewed publications on monsoon dynamics, extreme rainfall events, ENSO-Monsoon teleconnections, tropical-extratropical interactions, and AMOC–monsoon tipping elements, with ongoing contributions to high-impact climate science.

Research Interests
Monsoon Variability ENSO Teleconnections AMOC & Tipping Points Air-Sea Interactions Climate Modeling Extreme Weather Events Paleoclimate AI/ML in Climate

Research

Advancing our understanding of climate dynamics through observation, modeling, and data-driven approaches.

Monsoon variability research diagram
Monsoon Variability & Predictability

ENSO-monsoon teleconnections and intraseasonal variability of Indian monsoon rainfall.

Large-scale atmospheric dynamics diagram
Large-scale Atmospheric Dynamics

Jet stream variability and tropical-extratropical interactions shaping regional climates.

AMOC and climate tipping points diagram
AMOC & Climate Tipping Points

Atlantic overturning circulation changes and their cascading effects on monsoon systems.

Air-sea interactions research diagram
Air-Sea Interactions

Ocean-atmosphere coupling processes driving climate variability and change.

Land use and extreme events research diagram
Land Use & Extreme Events

Urbanization and land cover change impacts on extreme weather and rainfall patterns.

Publications

Total: 11 | First-author: 7 | Citations: Google Scholar | Under Review: 3
  1. Mahendra, N., Huber, M., Wang, L., Hunt, K. M. R., Chilukoti, N., & Chowdary, J. S. (2025). Stagnation of atmospheric circulation leads to a historically prolonged extreme rainfall event over northwestern India in August 2024. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 130, e2025JD044227. DOI
  2. Renuka, S., Chilukoti, N., Boyaj, A., Mahendra, N. (2025). Unravelling the role of land use changes in shaping extreme rainfall in South India. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society. DOI
  3. Chowdary, J. S., Mahendra, N., Konda, G., et al. (2024). Variability of summer monsoon depressions over the Bay of Bengal with special emphasis on El Niño cycle. Climate Dynamics, 62, 5567–5579. DOI
  4. Mahendra, N., Chilukoti, N., Chowdary, J. S., et al. (2024). A case study of deviant El Niño influence on the 2023 monsoon: An anecdote involving IOD, MJO and equivalent barotropic Rossby waves. Climate Dynamics, 62, 7185–7205. DOI
  5. Mahendra, N., Chilukoti, N., Chowdary, J. S., Attada, R., Kunchala, R. K., & Bhaskaran, P. K. (2024). Contrasting influence of the 1997 and 2015 El Niño on the Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall: Role of the Southern Hemisphere. Global and Planetary Change, 243, 104601. DOI
  6. IMS Best Paper Award 2024 Chilukoti, N., Mahendra, N., & Chowdary, J. S. (2024). Recent two decades witness an uptick in monsoon depressions over the northern Arabian Sea. npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, 7, 183. DOI
  7. Kumari, A., Attada, R., Chowdary, J. S., Mahendra, N., Chilukoti, N., & Karumuri, R. K. (2025). Recent decades witness a strong east-west gradient of monsoon precipitation changes over Northern India. Atmospheric Research, 108014. DOI
  8. Mahendra, N., Chilukoti, N., & Chowdary, J. S. (2023). The increased summer monsoon rainfall in Northwest India: Coupling with the Northwestern Arabian Sea warming and modulated by the Silk Road Pattern since 2000. Atmospheric Research, 107094. DOI
  9. Chandu, K., Raju, A. D., Kumar, S. V. J., & Mahendra, N. (2023). Spatial variations in PM2.5/PM10 over time in Andhra Pradesh, India. Journal of the Indian Geophysical Union, 27(3), 211–220.
  10. Mahendra, N., Nagaraju, C., Chowdary, J. S., Ashok, K., & Singh, M. (2023). A curious case of the Indian Summer Monsoon 2020: The influence of Barotropic Rossby Waves and the monsoon depressions. Atmospheric Research, 281, 106476. DOI
  11. Mahendra, N., Chowdary, J. S., Darshana, P., Sunitha, P., Parekh, A., & Gnanaseelan, C. (2021). Interdecadal modulation of interannual ENSO-Indian summer monsoon rainfall teleconnections in observations and CMIP6 models: Regional patterns. International Journal of Climatology, 41(3), 1–25. DOI
Manuscripts Under Review

Experience

Postdoctoral Scholar
Stanford University, Dept. of Earth System Science California, USA
Apr 2026 – Present (in-person from Aug 2027)
  • Advanced climate dynamics research focusing on atmospheric circulation patterns
  • Development of novel approaches to climate modelling and prediction
  • Collaboration with leading climate scientists on cutting-edge research initiatives
Project Scientist
Indian Institute of Science (CAOS) Bangalore, India
Apr 2026 – Present
  • Climate dynamics research focused on monsoon variability and extreme rainfall events
  • Development of novel approaches to climate modelling and prediction
  • Conducting Stanford-affiliated research remotely until in-person appointment begins Aug 2027
Research Associate
Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad Telangana, India
Dec 2025 – Apr 2026
  • Climate modelling and analysis of monsoon systems
  • Investigation of extreme events predictability over India using S2S Models
  • Mentoring graduate students in climate science research
Visiting Scholar OVDF Fellow
Purdue University Indiana, USA
Aug 2024 – Aug 2025
  • Collaboration with Prof. Matthew Huber and Prof. Lei Wang on climate dynamics research
  • Produced two manuscripts under review in JGR-Atmosphere and AGU Advances
  • Utilized CESM2.1.3 to enhance understanding of atmospheric dynamics in monsoon patterns
  • Analyzed extreme rainfall events and tropical-midlatitude interactions

Education

Ph.D. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
National Institute of Technology Rourkela Odisha, India
2021 – 2025

Thesis: “Role of changes in the regional climate forcings in governing Indian summer monsoon variability after the late 1990s”

Supervisor: Prof. Nagaraju Chilukoti

Key Achievements:

  • Discovered previously unrecognized missing summer westerly jet barotropic governor effect explaining climate model-observation discrepancies in Indian monsoon trends
  • Published multiple high-impact research articles on Arabian Sea warming, El Niño teleconnections, and monsoon depressions
  • Conducted comprehensive analysis of midlatitude variability impacts on Indian monsoon
M.Tech. in Atmospheric Science University First Rank
Andhra University Visakhapatnam, India
2019 – 2021

CGPA: 8.13/10.0

Project: Analyzed El Niño's impact on monsoon rainfall patterns and intraseasonal variability at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune

M.Sc. in Meteorology University Second Rank
Andhra University Visakhapatnam, India
2017 – 2019

CGPA: 8.19/10.0

Project: Analysis of ENSO-monsoon teleconnections using CMIP6 models at IITM, Pune

B.Sc. in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry
Sri Venkateswara University Tirupati, India
2012 – 2015

Percentage: 68.90%

Awards & Honors

2024
OVDF Fellowship

Visiting Scholar at Purdue University, USA

2024
IMS Best Paper Award

Young Scientist in Tropical Meteorology (INR 50,000 prize) for research published in npj Climate and Atmospheric Science

2021
University First Rank

M.Tech. Atmospheric Science, Andhra University

2019
University Second Rank

M.Sc. Meteorology, Andhra University

Conference Presentations

Oral Presentation
Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS) Annual Conference

PyeongChang, Gangwon-do, South Korea

June 2025
Poster Presentation
American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting

Washington, DC, USA

Dec 2025

References

Prof. Matthew Huber

Professor

Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences

Purdue University, Indiana, USA

huberm@purdue.edu
Dr. Nagaraju Chilukoti

Assistant Professor Grade-II

Dept. of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

NIT Rourkela, Odisha, India

chilukotin@nitrkl.ac.in
Dr. Jasti S. Chowdary

Scientist-E

Theoretical Studies Division

Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, India

jasti@tropmet.res.in
Prof. Lei Wang

Assistant Professor

Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences

Purdue University, Indiana, USA

leiwang@purdue.edu

Get In Touch

Open to research collaborations, conference invitations, and supervision inquiries.

Department of Earth System Science

Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

mnimmaka@stanford.edu | maheemacm1@gmail.com
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