The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) onboard the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-R platform will offer improved spatial and spectral resolution and temporal sampling, all of which should lead to enhanced capabilities for satellite-based rainfall estimation and nowcasting. The Hydrology Algorithm Team (AT), which is part of the GOES-R Algorithm Working Group (AWG), was formed to guide algorithm development and selection and to produce a recommended set of algorithms for operational production of three GOES-R Environmental Data Records: rainfall rate, rainfall potential, and probability of rainfall.

During the past year, the Hydrology AT has intercompared candidate rainfall estimation and nowcasting algorithms using data from the Spinning Enhanced Infrared Visible Imager (SEVIRI) onboard the Meteosat Second Generation (SEVIRI) as a proxy over Europe and Africa. The algorithms that were selected from this intercomparison are in the process of being modified in preparation for operational implementation. This presentation will describe the selected algorithms in detail, note areas for additional improvement, and outline the next steps for the Hydrology AT.