Wednesday, 9 January 2019: 4:00 PM-6:00 PM
Hall 4 (Phoenix Convention Center - West and North Buildings)
Cochairs:
Helen Greatrex, International Research Institute for Climate and Society, Palisades, NY;
Chris C. Funk, USGS/Earth Resources Observation Systems, Geography Department, Climate Hazard Group, Santa Barbara, CA and
Ross Maidment, Univ. of Reading, Department of Meteorology, Reading
While there is a general consensus that hydrologic extremes in the developing world are of great scientific and societal interest, the very limited density of in situ observations makes analysis and monitoring of these extremes very challenging. Luckily, the last five years have seen a new era in the field of satellite rainfall observations - both from the launch of new sensors and in algorithm design. A large family of products is now available with an increasingly diverse range of properties, including longer time-series, novel new algorithms for nowcasting, probabilistic assessments, customisable products for end-users, new geographical areas and new merging techniques. Equally, recent years have seen advances in how we can use satellite rainfall to inform and validate other parameters such as soil moisture or vegetative health (or conversely, how those other products might inform rainfall estimation).
At the same time, there's been transformational change in how remotely sensed weather data is used. Satellite rainfall observations are now directly influencing millions of lives through products such as climate insurance and weather triggered action, particularly across developing countries where weather data can be scarce. Addressing end-user needs is not a trivial challenge. Satellite rainfall scientists must work closely with businesses, national meteorological agencies, NGOs and governments to co-develop products and access the large body of previously inaccessible private ground-based weather data. They are also working closely with social scientists to understand how this information is visualised and used for different needs. In parallel, the private sector are also generating their own innovative products and algorithms. Many challenges remain and the growing use of satellite weather information for decisions mean that it is increasingly important to address them.
This session will address the state of the art across this field including:
- What is the current status of existing operational satellite rainfall products and what are the new products that are about to be launched?
- What is the state of the art for applied satellite rainfall research?
- How can we move from validation to "fitness for purpose"? How does one overcome the challenges of validating merged products for custom uses, especially as different products incorporate different validation data? Is there a need for a standard validation framework?
- How is satellite weather data being used by businesses, NGOs, insurers and governments around the world? How do we optimise these international, interdisciplinary partnerships? What are the logistical challenges in creating them?
- How are non-expert end-users selecting and using satellite products to meet their individual needs? What lessons have been learnt and what challenges remain?
- Greatrex, Helen (greatrex@iri.columbia.edu)
- International Research Institute for Climate and Society, Palisades, NY USA
- Funk, Chris C. (cfunk@usgs.gov)
- USGS/Earth Resources Observation Systems, Santa Barbara, CA USA
- Maidment, Ross (r.i.maidment@reading.ac.uk)
- Univ. of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
- 353286 Development of a Satellite-Based Near-Real-Time Precipitation Product for Index-Based (Re)Insurance Applications in Central America
- Wang, Li-Pen (li-pen.wang08@imperial.ac.uk)
- Microinsurance Catastrophe Risk Organisation, St Michael, Barbados
- Llabres, Iker (illabres@microrisk.org)
- Microinsurance Catastrophe Risk Organisation, St Michael, Barbados
- Boelsterli, Carlos (cboelsterli@microrisk.org)
- Microinsurance Catastrophe Risk Organisation, St Michael, Barbados
- 350885 Evaluation of Satellite Rainfall Products over the Congo Basin
- Nicholson, Sharon E. (snicholson@fsu.edu)
- Florida State Univ., Tallahassee, FL USA
- 354406 Validation of Satellite- and Gauge-Based Gridded Rainfall Products over Ghana (West Africa)
- Atiah, Winifred (winifred.a.atiah@aims-senegal.org)
- Kwame Nkrumah Univ. of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana
- Amekudzi, Leonard (leonard.amekudzi@gmail.com)
- Kwame Nkrumah Univ. of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana
- Fink, Andreas H. (andreas.fink@kit.edu)
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
- Maranan, Marlon (marlon.maranan@kit.edu)
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
- Aryee, Jeffrey (jeff.jay8845@gmail.com)
- Kwame Nkrumah Univ. of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana
- 353607 Assessing Fitness for Purpose: A Validation of Ghanaian Satellite Rainfall within the Context of Participatory Agricultural Services and Index Insurance
- Torgbor, Francis (f.torgbor@aims.edu.gh)
- African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Biriwa, Ghana
- Greatrex, Helen (greatrex@iri.columbia.edu)
- International Research Institute for Climate and Society, Palisades, NY USA
- Lamptey, Patrick (patrickniilantelamptey@yahoo.com)
- Ghana Meteorological Agency, Accra, Ghana
- Stern, Roger (r.d.stern@reading.ac.uk)
- Stats4SD, Reading, United Kingdom
- 349499 Effects of Drop Size Distribution Variability on QPE/QPF in the San Francisco Bay Area
- Behringer, Dalton (dalton.behringer@sjsu.edu)
- San Jose State Univ., San Jose, CA USA
- Chiao, Sen (sen.chiao@sjsu.edu)
- San Jose State Univ., San Jose, CA USA
- 351604 Challenges and Opportunities of Implementing the National Water Model in Hawaii and Alaska
- Lindsey, Scott D. (scott.lindsey@noaa.gov)
- NWS/Alaska Pacific River Forecast Center, Anchorage, AK USA
- Streubel, David (Dave.Streubel@noaa.gov)
- NOAA/NWS, Anchorage, AK USA
- Cosgrove, Brian (brian.cosgrove@noaa.gov)
- NOAA/NWS, Silver Spring, MD USA
- Kodama, Kevin (kevin.kodama@noaa.gov)
- National Weather Service, Honolulu, HI USA
- Gochis, David (gochis@ucar.edu)
- FitzGerald, Katelyn (katelynw@ucar.edu)
- 353295 On the Inter-Relationship between Land Surface Air Temperature and Skin Temperature
- Inamdar, Anand K. (anand.inamdar@noaa.gov)
- Lepeer, Ronald (ronnieleeper@cicsnc.org)
- Indicates paper has been withdrawn from meeting
- Indicates an Award Winner
