Lightning-based propagation of convective rain fields

Dietrich, Stefano; Casella, Daniele; Paola, Francesco Di; Formenton, Marco; Mugnai, A.; Sanò, Paolo

doi:10.5194/nhess-11-1571-2011

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…In order to overcome this, the FLASH consortium developed a lightning-based ''morphing'' rain gauge measurements on this day, c radar rainfall estimations for this day, and d a snapshot (11:46 UTC) of the rainfall rate derived from satellite microwave retrievals using the AMSU sensor at 15 km resolution methodology for filling the gaps in rainfall data by combining the MW retrievals with the ZEUS lightning data (Dietrich et al 2011;Price et al 2011). This procedure uses the statistical relationship between estimated rainfall and lightning at a given time t and then uses the ZEUS lightning data every 15 min (t ?…”

Section: Microwave Rainfall Retrievalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, until today, the satellite observations are from LEO satellites, giving only a snapshot of the lightning activity in any individual storm (Christian et al 2003). Due to the real-time availability of lightning data, and the large regions covered by ground networks and satellites, lightning is a promising parameter to use for nowcasting severe weather and flash floods (Betz et al 2008;Kohn et al 2010;Dietrich et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Using Lightning Data to Better Understand and Predict Flash Floods in the Mediterranean

et al. 2011

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One of the costliest natural hazards around the globe is flash floods, resulting from localized intense convective precipitation over short periods of time. Since intense convective rainfall (especially over the continents) is well correlated with lightning activity in these storms, a European Union FP6 FLASH project was realized from 2006 to 2010, focusing on using lightning observations to better understand and predict convective storms that result in flash floods. As part of the project, 23 case studies of flash floods in the Mediterranean region were examined. For the analysis of these storms, lightning data were used together with rainfall estimates in order to understand the storms' development and electrification processes. In addition, these case studies were simulated using mesoscale meteorological models to better understand the local and synoptic conditions leading to such intense and damaging storms. As part of this project, tools for short-term predictions (nowcasts) of intense convection across the Mediterranean and Europe, and long-term forecasts (a few days) of the likelihood of intense convection, were developed and employed. The project also focused on educational outreach through a special Web site http://flashproject.org supplying real-time lightning observations, real-time experimental nowcasts, medium-range weather forecasts and educational materials. While flash floods and intense thunderstorms cannot be prevented, long-range regional lightning networks can supply valuable data, in real time, for warning the public, end-users and stakeholders of imminent intense rainfall and possible flash floods.

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Section: Microwave Rainfall Retrievalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Lightning Data to Better Understand and Predict Flash Floods in the Mediterranean

et al. 2011

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“…Then, we plan to integrate it into a nowcasting algorithm in order to make it more useful to the user community. Finally, a potential upgrade of this technique, which is presently under study, consists in combining PM-GCD with the lightning-based technique developed by Dietrich et al (2011) so as to take advantage of the strengths of the two techniques and reduce their weaknesses.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…PM-GCD is here described with reference to a floodproducing storm that occurred on 1-2 October 2009 in Sicily in southern Italy -see Dietrich et al (2011) for a detailed description of this case study. The MW-derived rain rates are based on all available observations from the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A & -B (AMSU-A, AMSU-B) and Microwave Humidity Sounder (MHS) radiometers onboard NOAA & MetOp operational LEO satellites.…”

Section: Casella Et Al: Pm-gcd -A Combined Ir-mw Satellite Techniquementioning

confidence: 99%

PM-GCD – a combined IR–MW satellite technique for frequent retrieval of heavy precipitation

Casella

Dietrich

Paola

et al. 2012

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. Precipitation retrievals based on measurements from microwave (MW) radiometers onboard low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites can reach high level of accuracy -especially regarding convective precipitation. At the present stage though, these observations cannot provide satisfactory coverage of the evolution of intense and rapid precipitating systems. As a result, the obtained precipitation retrievals are often of limited use for many important applications -especially in supporting authorities for flood alerts and weather warnings. To tackle this problem, over the past two decades several techniques have been developed combining accurate MW estimates with frequent infrared (IR) observations from geosynchronous (GEO) satellites, such as the European Meteosat Second Generation (MSG). In this framework, we have developed a new fast and simple precipitation retrieval technique which we call Passive Microwave -Global Convective Diagnostic, (PM-GCD). This method uses MW retrievals in conjunction with the Global Convective Diagnostic (GCD) technique which discriminates deep convective clouds based on the difference between the MSG water vapor (6.2 µm) and thermal-IR (10.8 µm) channels. Specifically, MSG observations and the GCD technique are used to identify deep convective areas. These areas are then calibrated using MW precipitation estimates based on observations from the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) radiometers onboard operational NOAA and Eumetsat satellites, and then finally propagated in time with a simple tracking algorithm. In this paper, we describe the PM-GCD technique, analyzing its results for a case study that refers to a flood event that struck the island of Sicily in southern Italy on 1-2 October 2009.

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“…The heavy rainfall covered approximately the region (35.0-42.5) • N latitude and (7.5-17.5) • E longitude and discharged an amount of more than 200 mm of rain in southern Italy, causing the death of 35 people due to a large landslide affected the area around Messina -see Dietrich et al (2011) for a detailed description of this case study.…”

Section: A Case Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Combined MW-IR Precipitation Evolving Technique (PET) of convective rain fields

Paola¹,

Casella

Dietrich

et al. 2012

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. This paper describes a new multi-sensor approach for convective rain cell continuous monitoring based on rainfall derived from Passive Microwave (PM) remote sensing from the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite coupled with Infrared (IR) remote sensing Brightness Temperature (TB) from the Geosynchronous (GEO) orbit satellite. The proposed technique, which we call Precipitation Evolving Technique (PET), propagates forward in time and space the last available rain-rate (RR) maps derived from Advanced Microwave Sounding Units (AMSU) and Microwave Humidity Sounder (MHS) observations by using IR TB maps of water vapor (6.2 µm) and thermal-IR (10.8 µm) channels from a Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) radiometer. PET is based on two different modules, the first for morphing and tracking rain cells and the second for dynamic calibration IR-RR. The Morphing module uses two consecutive IR data to identify the motion vector to be applied to the rain field so as to propagate it in time and space, whilst the Calibration module computes the dynamic relationship between IR and RR in order to take into account genesis, extinction or size variation of rain cells. Finally, a combination of the Morphing and Calibration output provides a rainfall map at IR space and time scale, and the whole procedure is reiterated by using the last RR map output until a new MW-based rainfall is available. The PET results have been analyzed with respect to two different PM-RR retrieval algorithms for seven case studies referring to different rainfall convective events. The qualitative, dichotomous and continuous assessments show an overall ability of this technique to propagate rain field at least for 2-3 h propagation time.

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Lightning-based propagation of convective rain fields

Cited by 14 publications

References 34 publications

Using Lightning Data to Better Understand and Predict Flash Floods in the Mediterranean

Using Lightning Data to Better Understand and Predict Flash Floods in the Mediterranean

PM-GCD – a combined IR–MW satellite technique for frequent retrieval of heavy precipitation

Combined MW-IR Precipitation Evolving Technique (PET) of convective rain fields

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