Implementation of the EHIMI Software Package in the Weather Radar Operational Chain of the Catalan Meteorological Service

This paper gives an overview of the performance in an operational environment of the EHIMI system (Hydrometeorological Integrated Forecasting Tool), a software package designed to correct radar observations in real time for its use in hydrometeorological applications. The EHIMI system has been developed during the last years by the Applied Research Group in Hydrometeorology (GRAHI) of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and implemented operationally in collaboration with the Catalan Meteorological Service (SMC) through a collaborative project funded by the Catalan Water Agency and the SMC.

Processing and corrections of the EHIMI tool deal with ground clutter echoes, topographic beam sheltering, bright band, convective identification and attenuation by rainfall. In this paper several precipitation events are used to illustrate the corrections and details of the operational experience and performance of the EHIMI tool. A discussion about the benefits of the EHIMI corrected observations, current applications, and future developments related to the improvement of radar Quantitative Precipitation Estimates are also provided. Moreover, a description is given of the reingestion of corrected radar products in the Sigmet IRIS software operational at SMC and the updated modular structure of the EHIMI system. In particular, topics covered include a new warning module which details the geographical areas where previously defined precipitation thresholds are reached and a hydrological module fed by radar and rainguage observations.