WP2 : Fine-scale rainfall data acquisition and prediction :
Objective: develop and implement a system for estimation and
forecasting of fine-scale (100m, minutes) rainfall
•Rainfall estimation: combining data from radars (X & C-band) and
rain gauges
•Rainfall forecasting: combining with numerical weather prediction
implement and test for pilot sites (Leuven, Paris, Rotterdam, London)
applicable for urban areas of North-West Europe: guidelines,
demonstrations, training, …
WP2 : Fine-scale rainfall data acquisition and prediction :
Applications (see WP3, WP4):
•Rainfall estimation: enable city water managers to develop reliable
urban water strategies, including plans for urban flood prevention
and
pollution management
•Rainfall forecasting: allow local city managers to forecast, warn about
and control urban pluvial impacts at street level in real time
WP2 : Fine-scale rainfall data acquisition and prediction :
Actions:
WP2
A5 Workshop
on radar
technology,
calibration and
rainfall
estimation
A6
Rainfall
estimation
in pilot
sites
A7
Workshop
on rainfall
forecasting
Output: Report
on methods for
fine-scale
rainfall
estimation
Output:
Rainfall
estimates
for storms
in pilot
sites
Output:
Report on
methods for
fine-scale
rainfall
forecasting
A8
Implementation
and testing of
rainfall
forecasting in
pilot sites
A9 Writing
guidelines,
manuals and
training
material
Output:
Operational
system for
rainfall
forecasting in
pilot sites
Output:
Manuals for
developed
technology +
training
WP2 : Fine-scale rainfall data acquisition and prediction :
Actions:
WP2 A5 & A6: Rainfall estimation
•A5: Leuven workshop on radar technology, calibration and rainfall
estimation (M3)
 Outcome: recommended methods for fine-scale rainfall estimation
•A6: rainfall estimation in pilot sites
 Outcomes: fine-scale rainfall estimates for recent storms in pilot sites
+ comparison with traditional rainfall estimates (without radar)
WP2 : Fine-scale rainfall data acquisition and prediction :
Actions:
WP2 A5 & A6: Rainfall estimation
Subtopics addressed:
•Radar calibration and adjustment based on rain gauge data
•Different calibration/adjustment methods
•Comparison & integration of fine-scale (X-band, city scale; superresolution C-band) with rain gauge and coarser (NWE-scale) Cband radar data
•Rainfall estimation error/uncertainty analysis
•Interfacing with the applications in WP3 & WP4
WP2 : Fine-scale rainfall data acquisition and prediction :
Actions:
WP2 A7 & A8: Rainfall forecasting
•A7: London workshop on rainfall forecasting (M6)
 Outcome: recommended methods for fine-scale rainfall forecasting
•A8: implementation for pilot sites
 Outcomes: operational system for fine-scale rainfall forecasting in pilot
sites + results for min. 10 extreme storms
WP2 : Fine-scale rainfall data acquisition and prediction :
Actions:
WP2 A7 & A8: Rainfall forecasting (short-term forecasting = nowcasting)
Subtopics addressed:
•Combination of (fine and coarse scale) radar data with Numerical
Weather Prediction (provided by national meteo services)
•Use of lightning detection data
•Advective-statistical forecast model
•Spatial and temporal downscaling
•Error/uncertainty estimation in function of forecast lead time /
probabilistic forecasts
•Interfacing with the applications in WP3 & WP4
WP2 : Fine-scale rainfall data acquisition and prediction :
Actions:
WP2 A9: Guidelines
 Outcome: reference and user’s manuals on developed technologies
for rainfall estimation and forecasting
 Training and dissemination during National Observer Meetings
WP2: Fine-scale rainfall data acquisition and prediction:
Timing:
 WP2 A5: rainfall estimation workshop Leuven: autumn 2012
 WP2 A6: autumn 2012 – spring 2014: all pilot sites
 WP2 A7: rainfall forecasting workshop London: spring 2014
 WP2 A8: spring 2014 – spring 2015: all pilot sites
 WP2 A9: once a year: National Observer Meetings
WP2: Fine-scale rainfall data acquisition and prediction:
Workshop participants:
 workshop Leuven: about 20 radar experts
 workshop London: about 20 radar + NWP experts
 local workshops pilot sites: about 20 end users: city flood managers,
water managers, consultants and industrial partners
Leuven case
Aquafin &
K.U.Leuven
X-band radar installed
 since 2008
 City LAWR (DHI)
 Site selection based
on clutter tests
 Experience with
calibration
Brussels
Leuven
10 km
Other fine-scale radar
projects in Europe
Denmark:
 X-band LAWR radar Aalborg
 Comparison of different calibration procedures
(incl. dynamic calibration)
 Impact on urban drainage
Other fine-scale radar
projects in Europe
France – Lyon:
 C-band radar located in the close vicinity
 Rain gauges vs. radar
 Study of intense rain cells
 Impact on urban drainage
Other fine-scale radar
projects in Europe
France – Southern Alps: (RHyTMME project)
 Local X band radar network (4 radars, 2 operational)
 Installed in mountainous area prone to
orographically-induced flooding
 Gap filling function in ARAMIS (C and S band network)
Other fine-scale radar
projects outside Europe
USA:
CASA (Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere)
 Local X band network (moving from Oklahoma “Tornado
Alley” to Fort Dallas in 2012)
Other fine-scale radar
projects in Europe
USA:
 Comparison polarimetric X-band vs. S-band
 Impact on catchment runoff
Other fine-scale radar
projects outside Europe
Japan:
X-NET
 Nationwide X-band Polarimetric Radar Network
(26 radars cover about 80% of the total population)
Leuven case BELGIUM
Contributors from Belgium:
• Patrick Willems, K.U.Leuven
• Johan Van Assel, Aquafin
• Maarten Reyniers, Laurent Delobbe,
Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium
Leuven case
City of Leuven: urban drainage system of the villages
Herent, Wisele & Wijgmaal
Brussels
Leuven
10 km
Leuven case
City of Leuven: urban drainage system of the villages
Herent, Wisele & Wijgmaal
Area: 9.13 km2
# people: 16,100
9 tipping bucket rain gauges
In-sewer measurements:
Water level + velocity in 2 pipes
Water level at 3 overflows
+ water level in river
Leuven case
Tipping bucket rain gauges: calibration
Leuven case
Tipping bucket rain gauges: correction wind influence:
TBR 1
2500
cum. daily prec. (mm)
2000
RMI
TBR 1
TBR 2
TBR 1 corrected
TBR 2 corrected
TBR 2
1500
1000
500
0
May05
Sep05
Jan06
May06
Sep06
date
Jan07
May07
Sep07
Jan08
Leuven case
X-band radar installed since 2008: City LAWR (DHI)
Leuven case
Clutter tests
Micro
Radar
RWZI Bierbeek
Provinciehuis
Ecowerf
Res. Riverside
25
Leuven case
Beam cut-off
Leuven case
X-band radar image
Leuven case
X-band radar calibration
Leuven case
G (mm/h)
X-band radar calibration
Leuven case
• SP C-band radars
– Wideumont (RMI)
– Zaventem
(Belgocontrol)
• DP C-band radar:
– from beginning
2012 in Jabbeke
(Delobbe et al., 2006)