Final Report Summary - HYDREX (Advancing small-scale hydro-meteorological predictions through mobile X-band dual-polarization radar systems: methods, algorithms and applications) Flooding is still the most damaging of all natural disasters; one third of the annual natural disasters and economic losses and more than half of all victims are flood related. In Europe, we count an average of 130 fatalities due to floods per year; of these, 40% are due to flash floods. Flash floods are associated with heavy precipitation events induced often by rough orography, as is the case for most of the storms in the Mediterranean coastal area or in the Alpine region in Europe. However, the inherent spatial and temporal variability of precipitation makes rainfall one of the most difficult geophysical variables to measure anywhere, and yet it is one of the most important in advancing hydrologic and weather forecast applications. In particular, improving local flood and flash flood forecasting requires accurate quantitative rainfall measurements at small temporal (minutes) and spatial (hundred of meters to few kilometers) scales. Arguably, weather radar's capability to monitor precipitation at high spatial and temporal scales has stimulated great interest and support within the hydro-meteorological community. For ground radars in particular monitoring long ranges, issues with partial beam blockage of the lower beam elevations or with the overshooting of low-level convection signatures by the upper elevation beams may lead to significant range dependent errors in precipitation estimation. In addition, melting snow in widespread storm systems resulting in intense and persistent surface rainfall may substantially increase the threat of flooding in complex terrain basins. Therefore, advancing the quantitative precipitation estimation from remote sensing is of great importance and practical use in improving the predictability of hydrological impacts such as flash floods and hydrogeological risks and facilitating efficient water management practices. Documenti correlati final1-publishable-summary.pdf
