Extended Abstract (456K)P5.4
A 20-year daily Africa precipitation climatology using satellite and gauge data
Timothy B. Love, RS Information Systems, Inc. and NOAA/NWS/NCEP/CPC, Camp Springs, MD; and V. Kumar, P. Xie, and W. Thiaw
A project is currently underway at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center to create a climatology of daily estimated precipitation over the African continent using Meteosat infrared satellite data and ground-based Global Telecommunications System rain gauge observations. When completed, within the next few years, the dataset will contain daily precipitation estimates with a resolution of 0.1 degree from 1982-present over the entire African land mass. The climatology product will be disseminated regularly as yearly updates are completed, and daily data may easily be accumulated to create any time period within its range. Additionally, a daily estimated precipitation product will run operationally using the same algorithm to facilitate rainfall anomaly calculations, and will be available near real time. The technique used for creating these precipitation estimates involves merging satellite derived daily accumulated Goes Precipitation Index values with daily gridded surface rain gauge observations. Satellite estimates give the general shape of precipitation events while interpolated station reports reduce bias by controlling intensity. Comparison of current versus normal 10 km rainfall products will allow users greater knowledge of climatic trends, especially in areas of sparsely distributed rain gauges where station interpolation alone may not capture smaller scale events.
Poster Session 5, Spatial Climate Technologies and Products
Wednesday, 14 January 2004, 2:30 PM-4:00 PM, Hall AB
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