 |
| TerraSAR-X image of flooding in Tewkesbury, UK, in July 2007 (flooded areas are dark) (© DLR 2007). TerraSAR-X is one of a new generation of all-weather day-night synthetic aperture radar sensors with sufficiently high resolution to “see†flooding in urban areas. The observed flood extent can be used to validate computer models of urban flood inundation. |
Goal: Our goal is to improve our understanding of the physical and dynamic processes governing storms and floods and to develop capability to forecast these phenomena.
Partners and Customers: National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS), FREE (Flood Risk from Extreme Events), Flood Risk Management Research Consortium, the Met Office, European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF), Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory (POL), the Environment Agency
Storms, floods and droughts have a major impact on everyday life around the world. An improved ability to forecast, quantify and manage meteorological and hydrological risks, as well as water resources, is essential to protect the public, property and infrastructure, and to maintain a sustainable economy. We will improve methods of assimilating data from meteorological satellites and ground based radar into high resolution atmospheric models, to increase skills in forecasting hazardous weather. We are using EO measurements of soil moisture, snow and flooding to develop hydrological models for flood forecasting, working with operational agencies towards and end-to-end integrated forecasting capability.
Our key priorities include:
This area of research contributes to the Climate Theme and incorporates results from the Theme on Data Assimilation.
 |
