Radarnet IV: improving radar rainfall rate data through better algorithms

This project improved the accuracy of Met Office data on where and how much heavy rain will fall to make forecasting floods easier.

• From: Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Research and Development Programme and Environment Agency
• Published: 18 February 2021

• Category: Managing flood incidents
• Topics: Big data, Climate change, Communicating risk, Emergency planning and Flood forecasting
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  Meteorology, Modelling, Monitoring and detection, and Surface water
• Project status: Completed
• Project code: SC060033
• Date of completion: 30 November 2009

Documents

Radarnet IV: improving radar rainfall rate data through better algorithms - project summary 1 (677 KB) PDF

Radarnet IV: improving radar rainfall rate data through better algorithms - project summary 2 (684 KB) PDF

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Details

The Met Office weather radar network measures the rate at which precipitation (rain, snow or hail) falls over an area of the British Isles and surrounding waters. The data gathered from these radars are used by weather and flood forecasters to assess where and how severely heavy rain will fall and to predict flooding.

The Radarnet IV algorithm development project aimed to improve the quality of the radar rainfall rate data. This could be done by upgrading the way in which the radar rainfall rate is estimated. This means it’s easier to make accurate estimates of where and when flooding might happen.

The improvements have been built into existing flood forecasting systems used by Environment Agency people, with no extra training required.

This project started in 2006 and was completed in 2009.

Published 18 February 2021