Rainfall estimation
Rainfall estimation

 

 

 

EUROPE MAP
Last 6 hours (updated every 15 minutes)
Last 24 hours (updated every 3 hours)
Cumulated rain on previous day 

 

ITALY  MAPS 
Last 6 hours (updated every 15 minutes)
Last  24 hours (updated every 3 hours)
Cumulated rain on previous day 

 

Methodology for estimating rainfall from satellite data
 
The automatic real-time procedure for rainfall estimation processes MSG thermal infrared data and microwave imaging data from SSM/I. This technique combines the spatial and temporal resolution advantages of MSG data with the micro-physical investigation capacity for rainfall events of SSM/I observations.
The procedure basically involves constructing look-up tables (an algorithm developed by J. Turk at the Naval Research Laboratory) which couple brilliancy temperatures measured by MSG with the corresponding rainfall rates, in both space and time, calculated using SSM/I microwave data (Ferraro's NOAA-NESDIS algorithm). 
 
The SSM/I data (all seven microwave channels), where available, trigger the update of the look-up tables.
 
Every 15 minutes a new MSG image is available, and a new rainfall map is generated: rainfall is calculated by converting the brilliancy temperature of the pixels in the infrared image into a rainfall rate, using the most up-to-date look-up table.
 
 
 
The SERVICE is currently experimental as validation tests are still underway.
 
This work has been partially funded within the following projects:
 
EURAINSAT, (contract EVG1-2000-00030) co-founded by the European Community Research DG.
 
RAM (applied meteo-hydrology research), funded by CNR's GNDCI (national hydro-geological catastrophe prevention group). 
 
The SSM/I data are supplied by the CLASS archives (Comprehensive Large Array-data Stewardship System) at NOAA.