3.7
Flash flood monitoring and prediction in AWIPS Build 5 and beyond
Stephan B. Smith, NOAA/NWS, Silver Spring, MD; and M. T. Filiaggi, M. Churma, J. Roe, M. Glaudemans, R. Erb, and L. Xin
Flash floods cause more deaths than any other weather-related phenomena. With the completion of its modernization, the National Weather Service (NWS) is in a position to address the flash flood problem in a comprehensive manner that considers both the meteorological and hydrological characteristics of these events. The recently published National Quantitative Precipitation Information Plan presents an extensive set of requirements regarding flash flood monitoring and prediction. To meet these requirements in the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) Build 5 deployment, the new Flash Flood Monitoring and Prediction (FFMP) hydrometeorological function will be implemented within the interactive Display-2- Dimensions (D2D) AWIPS application. This function will be an outgrowth and merging of similar capabilities already existing within the WFO Hydrologic Forecast System (WHFS) HydroView application and the System for Convection Analysis and Nowcasting (SCAN). It will be developed by the joint WHFS-SCAN team, using experience gained from existing operations of the HydroView and SCAN applications, and from the Areal Mean Basin Estimated Rainfall (AMBER) project activities. This paper describes the design and operations of the SCAN/FFMP function. SCAN/FFMP will provide continuous monitoring of rainfall rates, rainfall accumulations, and their comparison to flash flood guidance for small-scale stream basins, using both radar and gage rainfall estimates. It will provide both NWS forecasters and external users with automated alerts when a potentially dangerous flood situation may be developing on a given stream or catchment area. In addition, short-term (1-hr or less) quantitative precipitation forecasts will provide SCAN/FFMP with a predictive element. SCAN/FFMP is expected to increase flash flood warning lead times and provide detailed information about which areas are affected by the warning. And by integrating the flash flood-oriented information within the AWIPS D2D, NWS forecasters will be able to interpret the hydrologic threat within the context of the evolving meteorological situation. The SCAN/FFMP will also provide support for the modeling of stream flooding via D2D through eventual incorporation of the Site-Specific Hydrologic Prediction function.
Session 3, Heavy Precipitation and Flash Flooding (Parallel with Joint Session J1)
Wednesday, 12 January 2000, 8:30 AM-2:30 PM
Previous paper Next paper