diff --git a/.github/workflows/bld_mpas_images.yaml b/.github/workflows/bld_mpas_images.yaml
index 48a795b695..2af1533be7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/bld_mpas_images.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/bld_mpas_images.yaml
@@ -30,19 +30,19 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v6
 
       - name: Log in to DockerHub
-        uses: docker/login-action@v3
+        uses: docker/login-action@v4
         with:
           username: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }}
           password: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_TOKEN }}
 
       - name: Build minimal-toolchain:${{ matrix.toolchain }}
-        uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v7
         with:
           file: docker/Dockerfile-${{ matrix.toolchain }}-minimal
           tags: minimal-toolchain:${{ matrix.toolchain }}
 
       - name: Build add-netcdf:${{ matrix.toolchain }}
-        uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v7
         with:
           file: docker/Dockerfile-add-netcdf
           tags: add-netcdf:${{ matrix.toolchain }}
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ jobs:
             NFVERSION=${{ matrix.nfversion }}
 
       - name: Build add-pnetcdf:${{ matrix.toolchain }}
-        uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v7
         with:
           file: docker/Dockerfile-add-pnetcdf
           tags: add-pnetcdf:${{ matrix.toolchain }}
@@ -60,14 +60,14 @@ jobs:
             PNFVERSION=${{ matrix.pnfversion }}
 
       - name: Build add-python:${{ matrix.toolchain }}
-        uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v7
         with:
           file: docker/Dockerfile-add-python
           build-args: TOOLCHAIN=${{ matrix.toolchain }}
           tags: add-python:${{ matrix.toolchain }}
 
       - name: Build and push dustinswales/ufs-community-mpas-ci:${{ matrix.toolchain }}
-        uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v7
         with:
           file: docker/Dockerfile-finalize
           build-args: TOOLCHAIN=${{ matrix.toolchain }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_mpas.yml b/.github/workflows/build_mpas.yml
index 4fb3150d19..c69a71447f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_mpas.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_mpas.yml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ jobs:
     steps:
 
     - name: Checkout code (into ${driver_ROOT})
-      uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      uses: actions/checkout@v6
 
     - name: Initialize submodules
       run: |
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: Cache openmpi
       id: cache-openmpi
-      uses: actions/cache@v4
+      uses: actions/cache@v5
       with:
         path: /home/runner/ompi-4.1.6
         key: cache-openmpi-${{matrix.fortran-compiler}}-key
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: Cache GNU autotools
       id: cache-AUTOTOOLS
-      uses: actions/cache@v4
+      uses: actions/cache@v5
       with:
         path: /home/runner/AUTOTOOLS
         key: cache-AUTOTOOLS-${{matrix.fortran-compiler}}-key
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: Cache PnetCDF
       id: cache-pnetcdf
-      uses: actions/cache@v4
+      uses: actions/cache@v5
       with:
         path: /home/runner/PnetCDF
         key: cache-PnetCDF-${{matrix.fortran-compiler}}-key
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_mpas_intel.yml b/.github/workflows/build_mpas_intel.yml
index f7e1a46c9d..0e367574a7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_mpas_intel.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_mpas_intel.yml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ jobs:
     steps:
 
     - name: Checkout code (into ${driver_ROOT})
-      uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      uses: actions/checkout@v6
 
     - name: Initialize submodules
       run: |
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: Cache Intel
       id: cache-INTEL
-      uses: actions/cache@v4
+      uses: actions/cache@v5
       with:
         path: /opt/intel/oneapi/mpi/2021.10.0
         key: cache-AUTOTOOLS-${{matrix.fortran-compiler}}-key
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: Cache GNU autotools
       id: cache-AUTOTOOLS
-      uses: actions/cache@v4
+      uses: actions/cache@v5
       with:
         path: /home/runner/AUTOTOOLS
         key: cache-AUTOTOOLS-${{matrix.fortran-compiler}}-key
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: Cache PnetCDF
       id: cache-pnetcdf
-      uses: actions/cache@v4
+      uses: actions/cache@v5
       with:
         path: /home/runner/PnetCDF
         key: cache-PnetCDF-${{matrix.fortran-compiler}}-key
@@ -144,4 +144,4 @@ jobs:
         mkdir build
         cd build
         cmake -DMPAS_DOUBLE_PRECISION=OFF -DMPAS_CORES="init_atmosphere;atmosphere" ..
-        make -j8
\ No newline at end of file
+        make -j8
diff --git a/.github/workflows/run_mpas.yml b/.github/workflows/run_mpas.yml
index 1fae8f71fe..4f0c9b3ea0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/run_mpas.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/run_mpas.yml
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ jobs:
     # Step 2b: Clone MPAS and build (feature branch)
     ##########################################################################################
     - name: Checkout MPAS codebase for testing.
-      uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      uses: actions/checkout@v6
 
     - name: Initialize any submodules from testing codebase.
       run: |
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ jobs:
     # Step 6: Compare feature branch to baseline branch.
     ##########################################################################################
     - name: Setup Miniconda
-      uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v3.2.0
+      uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v4
       with:
         python-version: ${{env.py-version}}
         auto-update-conda: true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/run_mpas_hrrr.yml b/.github/workflows/run_mpas_hrrr.yml
index 4b66fbd57d..643174cec5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/run_mpas_hrrr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/run_mpas_hrrr.yml
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ jobs:
     # Step 2b: Clone MPAS and build (feature branch)
     ##########################################################################################
     - name: Checkout MPAS codebase for testing.
-      uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      uses: actions/checkout@v6
 
     - name: Initialize any submodules from testing codebase.
       run: |
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ jobs:
     # Step 6: Compare feature branch to baseline branch.
     ##########################################################################################
     - name: Setup Miniconda
-      uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v3.2.0
+      uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v4
       with:
         python-version: ${{env.py-version}}
         auto-update-conda: true
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0569254a33..500edaf7b6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-MPAS-v8.3.1-2.34
+MPAS-v8.3.1-2.36
 ====
 
 The Model for Prediction Across Scales (MPAS) is a collaborative project for
diff --git a/src/core_atmosphere/Registry.xml b/src/core_atmosphere/Registry.xml
index 21924dce84..7480c9dc44 100644
--- a/src/core_atmosphere/Registry.xml
+++ b/src/core_atmosphere/Registry.xml
@@ -1002,6 +1002,7 @@
 			<var name="ke"/>
 			<var name="uReconstructZonal"/>
 			<var name="uReconstructMeridional"/>
+			<var name="stoch_pattern_sppt"/>
 
                         <!-- Begin Ertel PV diagnostics defined in diagnostics/Registry_pv.xml -->
 			<var name="ertel_pv"/>
@@ -4277,7 +4278,10 @@
                 <var name="tend_umerid" type="real" dimensions="nVertLevels nCells Time" units="m s^{-1} s^{-1}"
                      description="Total cell-centered meridional wind tendency from physics"
                      persistence="scratch" />
- 
+
+                <var name="stoch_pattern_sppt" type="real" dimensions="nVertLevels nCells Time" units="%"
+                     description="Perturbation pattern for stochastic physics SPPT scheme" />
+
 #ifdef DO_PHYSICS
                 <!-- ================================================================================================== -->
                 <!-- TENDENCIES FROM PARAMETERIZATION OF CLOUD MICROPHYSICS:                                            -->