The time frame from isolated events to that of subseasonal variability in the earth’s atmospheric, oceanic, and hydrological systems and associated implications for global human and ecological systems are an emerging topic around which issues with associated significant social/economic value and sustainability can be examined and used for societal response and planning. Massive data sets and mathematical modeling tools can be applied to couple the observed and/or modeled environmental processes to societal impacts. Examples include coastal and inshore flooding events, normally associated with tropical cyclones which, because of sea level rise, could extend into the winter season when extratropical cyclones are present. There is also a higher frequency of flood events in the Midwest USA, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The societal implications of these events are huge. Many other evolving phenomena in kind will be revealed.

This special issue is intended to present and discuss scientific breakthrough results which are expected to reveal the couplings of environmental event scale with subseasonal variability scale to the implications for society at local to regional and global scale environments.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Feasibility and “proof-of-concept” studies utilizing diagnostic and prognostic tools
• Pilot to mature studies relevant to the use of atmospheric, oceanic, and hydrological data sets including in situ and remotely sensed data sets, to drive societally relevant research
• Modern analytics and informatics including utilizing environmental and socioeconomics data
• Numerical modeling results focusing on leveraging interoperability, and knowledge management
• Value assessments of environmental data, including investments in satellite and other technologies
• Studies using new methodological paradigms in environmental research
• Environmental information that provides enabling capacity for environmental managers and society