Gene Rasmussen's extensive contributions to the atmospheric sciences and related fields spans several decades. The extent of his influence is not limited to only scientific aspects, but it has also resulted in a number of initiatives and programs at both the national and international level. Among others, Dr. Rasmussen was one of the major players in the initiation of the GEWEX Program (Global Energy and Water cycle EXperiment) of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) and, in particularl, the planning and launching of the first continental scale experiment, which became known as the GCIP (Continental-scale International Project).

This presentation will provide a brief summary of some of the scientific findings related to the water cycle and their impact on the coupling of the land surface and atmospheric processes. In specific, this presentation will cover some of the advances in precipitation estimation through the use of satellite remote sensing and their use in flood and run-off prediction.