Untitled DocumentDeveloping long-term multi-resolution precipitation and meteorological data sets
Macro Theme Area:
Integrated Modeling [Project ID: M01]
PI:
Xiaogang Gao
CO-PI(s):
Soroosh Sorooshian, Hoshin Gupta, Kuo-lin Hsu
Basin focus:
Regional SW, Colorado, Rio Conchos, Rio Grande, San Pedro
Specific area in
basin /
field sites:
Precipitation and other meteorological forcing data from san Pedro, Rio Grande River basins as well as the southwest regions are provided.
Summary/Goals: Long-term (> 10 years), high-resolution (4-km, hourly) surface meteorological forcing data over the SAHRA study regions (such as the Rio Grande, San Pedro River basins) are needed to drive and examine the new land surface, hydrologic, and water management models under the development of SAHRA integrated modeling. Those data are prepared in advance and will be available before the models are completed. Those data also allow us to analyze the interannual-to-seasonal variability of climate and hydrology in the semiarid southwest region.
The results summarized from the last few decades provide the crucial information to the improvement of southwest hydrologic forecasting and water management proposed by SAHRA. Meanwhile, we produce near real-time estimates of precipitation and meteorological data (such as temperature, humidity, winds) at hourly and 4-km resolutions over the southwest U.S. using the techniques of satellites remote sensing and numerical regional climate modeling. Through computer visualization, those data can demonstrate understandable, vivid pictures (movies) about how the natural climate and hydrologic phenomena process and how scientists try to understand and control them. Therefore, the data set can support and enhance the SAHRA education program.
Our group colloborates and supports other SAHRA research groups with the needed data and analyses, as well as our studies in hydrologic ensemble forecasting, satellite remote sensing data retrieval and assimilation.
Activities and outcomes during past year:
In 2007, we have finished the following research:
(1)Cooporate with other modeling teams to use the high-resolution modeling and remote sensing data. The fine resolution modeling group at New Mexico Tech. has used the produced data over the Rio Grande River basin in their SAHRA modeling studies
(2)Compare our long-term (1993-2004),4-km modeling output with the NARR 12-km reanalysis data to evaluate our data quality. The results have been published (Li et al. 2007).
(3) Evaluate the PERSIANN-CCS data with the NEXRAD over the United States and study the error structures. We have improved the quality control of the new PERSIANN 4-km hourly data by merging with the monthly GPCP precipitation. The data have been delivered to SAHRA's database.
(4) Apply the PERSIANN data for hydrological ensemble forecasts such as the NASA NEWS Integration project and the NOAA GOES-R new product development project.
(5) Continue the study of hydrologic ensemble forecasting for United States. In particular, we have actively joined the National Weather Service (NWS) Distributed Model Intercomparison Project (DMIP) and worked on the DMIP-2 test project in the American River Basin of California.
Plans for the upcoming year:
In 2008, we plan to conduct the following research:
(1)Continue cooporating with other modeling teams for the use use of our high-resolution modeling and remote sensing data.
(2) Further improve and evaluate the PERSIANN data with the NEXRAD over the United States and study the error structures.
(3) Apply the PERSIANN data and data assimilation techniques for hydrological ensemble forecasts.
