Development and propagation of severe thunderstorms in the Upper Danube catchment area: Towards an integrated nowcasting and forecasting system using real-time data and high-resolution simulations

• Published in: Meteorology and atmospheric physics Vol. 101; no. 3-4; pp. 211 - 227
• Main Authors: Tafferner, A., Forster, C., Hagen, M., Keil, C., Zinner, T., Volkert, H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vienna Springer-Verlag 01.10.2008; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Sciences; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Math. Appl. in Environmental Science; Meteorology; Storms; Terrestrial Pollution; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Weather forecasting; Danube River; Europe; Europe, Danube R; Meteorol Atmos Phys; Polarimetric Radar; Severe Thunderstorm; Radar; Radar Tracker
• ISSN: 0177-7971; 1436-5065
• DOI: 10.1007/s00703-008-0322-7

Summary Quickly developing and fast propagating thunderstorms are an important source of high impact weather (sudden occurrence of high precipitation rates and high wind speed) in central Europe. The region to the north of the Alps is particularly prone to such natural threats. Possibilities how to combine data from routine observations taken by geostationary satellites, a ground based radar network and lighting detection systems with high resolution forecast data for routine nowcasting purposes are exemplified for a typical summer situation of August 2004. The gradual development of the different technologies is sketched and a vision of how to combine the various data and forecasting sources is presented.