Before You Submit

Journal of Weather Changes (JWC) publishes peer reviewed open access research on atmospheric science, climate variability, extreme weather events, and environmental change. Manuscripts must be original, methodologically sound, and aligned with JWC scope.

Use concise scientific English and provide complete statements to avoid delays in screening.

Authorship and Contributions

All authors must meet authorship criteria and approve the final manuscript. Include a contribution statement for transparency.

References and DOIs

Ensure reference accuracy and include DOIs where available. Cite primary sources for datasets and methods.

Model and Data Reporting

Provide model configuration details, parameter settings, and evaluation metrics. Report uncertainty and sensitivity analyses.

Graphics and Maps

Label axes clearly, include units, and provide geographic projections for maps. Clear visuals improve interpretability.

Revision Process

Provide a point by point response to reviewers and highlight changes in the manuscript. Timely revisions support fast decisions.

Data and Code

Share analysis scripts when possible and cite repositories. Clear data provenance supports reproducibility.

ORCID and Author IDs

Provide ORCID iDs for all authors when available. Consistent author metadata improves attribution and indexing accuracy.

Preprints

Preprints are permitted when disclosed at submission and not under consideration elsewhere. Update preprints with the published DOI.

Funding Disclosure

List all funding sources and grant numbers. Funding transparency supports compliance and helps readers interpret potential influences.

Conflict of Interest

Disclose financial relationships, consulting roles, or affiliations that may influence the study. Transparency protects trust.

Statistical Reporting

Describe statistical methods clearly and report effect sizes, confidence intervals, and exact p values where appropriate.

Uncertainty Treatment

Report uncertainty ranges and sensitivity analyses for models and projections. Clear uncertainty reporting improves interpretation.

Data Availability Statements

State where data are stored, include persistent identifiers, and describe access conditions. Explain restrictions when necessary.

Remote Sensing Data

Describe sensor sources, processing steps, and validation methods. Provide links to data repositories when possible.

Field Observations

Include sampling design, instrumentation, and calibration details. Clear descriptions help reviewers assess data quality.

Map Projections

Specify map projections, spatial resolution, and coordinate systems. Consistency supports reproducibility across studies.

Supplementary Materials

Upload model code, data dictionaries, or extended tables as supplementary files when relevant. Label files clearly.

Ethics and Consent

For studies involving human data or stakeholder interviews, provide ethics approvals and consent procedures.

AI Assisted Tools

If AI tools were used for language editing or analysis, disclose the tool name and purpose. Authors remain responsible for accuracy.

Units and Standards

Use SI units and standard climate indices. Define abbreviations at first use to improve clarity for interdisciplinary readers.

Reporting Guidelines

Use appropriate reporting guidelines for observational, modeling, or impact studies. Clear reporting supports reproducibility.

Data Assimilation

If data assimilation is used, describe observation sources, assimilation method, and validation outcomes in detail.

Ensemble Methods

For ensemble modeling, report ensemble size, initialization strategy, and spread metrics. Explain how uncertainty is summarized.

Model Intercomparison

Describe intercomparison frameworks and baseline datasets. Provide access to model outputs when possible.

Climate Indices

Define climate indices used in analyses and provide sources or derivation details. Standardized definitions improve comparability.

Software Versions

List software tools and version numbers used for analysis. For custom scripts, consider providing a repository link.

Data Quality Control

Describe data cleaning, gap filling, and quality control procedures. Clear QC details improve trust in results.

Figures and Captions

Provide descriptive figure captions that explain variables, units, and key findings. Captions should stand alone for reader clarity.

Supplementary Video

If videos or animations are provided, include captions, frame rate, and data sources. Confirm permissions for shared media.

Data Reuse

If using third party datasets, cite original sources and describe usage permissions. This protects attribution and licensing compliance.

Statistical Significance

Report significance thresholds and multiple testing corrections when applicable. Transparent statistics support robust conclusions.

Model Evaluation Metrics

Specify evaluation metrics such as RMSE, bias, correlation, or skill scores. Provide baselines for comparison.

Cross Validation

Describe validation periods, training data, and out of sample testing. Clear validation strengthens confidence in results.

Sea and Land Interactions

If relevant, describe land surface, ocean, or cryosphere coupling. Note model components and boundary conditions.

Bias Correction

Explain bias correction methods and justify parameter choices. Transparency helps reviewers assess robustness.

Data Licensing

Clarify licensing for datasets and code. Use licenses that allow reuse with attribution where possible.

Citation of Data

Cite datasets in the reference list using DOIs or accession numbers. Data citations improve attribution and reuse.

Quality Assurance for Maps

Check color scales, legends, and spatial resolution for readability. Consistent map design improves interpretation.

Extended Methods

Provide extended methods in supplementary files if space is limited. Detail supports replication without overcrowding the main text.

Language Editing

Consider language editing before submission if writing in a second language. Clear writing accelerates review.

Data Retention

Retain raw data and processing logs for a reasonable period after publication in case of verification requests.

Sea Ice and Cryosphere

For cryosphere studies, describe satellite products, retrieval algorithms, and uncertainty ranges. Note seasonal coverage and validation sources.

Event Attribution

If conducting attribution analyses, explain counterfactual modeling, baseline climate periods, and confidence measures.

Hydrologic Modeling

Describe hydrologic model configuration, calibration, and validation. Include catchment characteristics and forcing datasets.

Data Harmonization

If combining datasets, describe harmonization steps and resolution matching. Document regridding methods and interpolation settings.

Reproducibility Checklist

Confirm that scripts, parameters, and data sources are documented. A reproducibility checklist helps reviewers verify methods quickly.

Corresponding Author Duties

The corresponding author must ensure all coauthors approve submission and are aware of data sharing statements and license terms.

Licensing and Permissions

Confirm permission to reproduce third party figures or data. Include credit lines and any reuse restrictions in captions.

Ethical Use of Indigenous Data

If using data related to Indigenous communities or lands, describe permissions, data governance, and respectful use practices.

Model Spin Up

Describe spin up periods and initialization methods for climate models. Clear setup details improve reproducibility.

Reviewer Response Formatting

When revising, respond in a structured format that addresses each comment. Link responses to line numbers or figure panels.

Geospatial Data

If using geospatial datasets, describe coordinate systems, resolution, and any spatial masks or filters applied.

Limitations

Discuss limitations openly, including data gaps, model assumptions, or spatial coverage constraints. Balanced discussion improves credibility.

Acknowledgements

Acknowledge data providers, field support teams, and funding agencies. Proper acknowledgements reflect collaboration and transparency.

Time Series Handling

Describe temporal aggregation, missing data handling, and smoothing methods for time series. Clear handling improves interpretation.

Appendix Materials

Use appendices for extended derivations, parameter tables, or additional sensitivity results that support the main findings.

Data Ethics

Ensure data use complies with licensing and privacy requirements. If data are restricted, describe access conditions and oversight clearly. Provide contact details for access requests and note any approval steps required by data custodians. This ensures transparency for reviewers and publication compliance checks and consistent audit trails for data governance and compliance assurance.