Skip to main content

Meteorological Forecasting

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Abstract

Meteorological forecasts provide a basis for extending the lead time provided by hydrological forecasting models, beyond that available from observations of rainfall and other parameters. In addition to the general weather forecasts provided to the public, meteorological services often provide a range of more specialized products tailored to different users, and a number of these are potentially of use in hydrological modeling. Examples include short-range forecasts of rainfall for flood forecasting and water supply operations, seasonal forecasts for drought and agricultural applications, and air temperature and other inputs for demand forecasting. This chapter provides an introduction to the main techniques used in meteorological forecasting, including nowcasting, Numerical Weather Prediction, and statistical methods. Several approaches are also discussed for post-processing outputs to the scales of hydrological interest, including dynamic downscaling, statistical post-processing and weather matching. An introduction is also provided to the topics of data assimilation and forecast verification.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • AMS (2009) Glossary of Meteorology. American Meteorological Society. http://amsglossary.allenpress.com/. Accessed 14 July 2009

  • Antolik MS (2000) An overview of the National Weather Service’s centralized quantitative precipitation forecasts. Journal of Hydrology, 239: 306–337

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowler NE, Pierce CE, Seed A (2004) Development of a precipitation nowcasting algorithm based on optical flow techniques. Journal of Hydrology, 288: 74–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowler NE, Pierce CE, Seed AW (2006) STEPS: a probabilistic precipitation forecasting scheme which merges an extrapolation nowcast with downscaled NWP. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 132:2127–2155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bremnes JB (2004) Probabilistic forecasts of precipitation in terms of quantiles using NWP model output. Monthly Weather Review, 132(1): 338–347

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cabinet Office (2008) The Pitt Review: Lessons Learned from the 2007 Floods. http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/thepittreview. Accessed 14 July 2009

  • Casati B, Wilson LJ, Stephenson DB, Nurmi P, Ghelli A, Pocernich M, Damrath U, Ebert EE, Brown BG, Mason S (2008). Forecast verification: current status and future directions. Meteorological Applications, 15(1): 3–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coelho CAS, Stephenson DB, Balmaseda M, Doblas-Reyes FJ, van Oldenborgh, GJ (2006) Toward an integrated seasonal forecasting system for South America. Journal of Climate, 19: 3704–3721

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Djerboua A, Obled C (2002) Medium-term QPFs by analog-based approach: objective evaluations and comparisons during the MAP experiment. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, MAP-SOP Special Issue

    Google Scholar 

  • Doblas-Reyes FJ, Hagedorn R, Palmer TN (2005) The rationale behind the success of multi-model ensembles in seasonal forecasting. Part II: Calibration and combination. Tellus-A, 57: 234–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duband D (1970) Reconnaissance dynamique de la forme des situations météorologiques. Application a la prévision quantitative des précipitations. PhD Thesis, Faculté des Sciences de Paris, France

    Google Scholar 

  • Ebert E, Wilson LJ, Brown BG, Nurmi P, Brooks HE, Bally J, Jaeneke M (2004) Verification of nowcasts from the WWRP Sydney 2000 Forecast Demonstration Project. Weather Forecasting, 19: 73–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ECMWF (2007) Newsletter No. 110 – Winter 2006/2007. http://www.ecmwf.int/publications/newsletters/. Accessed 14 July 2009

  • Fowler H J, Blenkinsop S, Tebaldi C (2007) Linking climate change modelling to impacts studies: recent advances in downscaling techniques for hydrological modelling. Int. J. Climatol., 27: 1547–1578

    Google Scholar 

  • Glahn HR, Lowry DA (1972) The use of model output statistics (MOS) in objective weather forecasting. Journal of Applied Meteorology, 11: 1203–1211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goddard L, Mason SJ, Zebiak SE, Ropelewski CF, Basher R, Cane MA (2001) Review article: current approaches to seasonal to interannual climate predictions. International Journal of Climatology, 21(9): 1111–1152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Golding BW (2000) Quantitative Precipitation Forecasting in the UK. Journal of Hydrology 239: 286–305

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Golding BW (2009) Long lead time warnings: reality or fantasy? Meteorological Applications, 16: 3–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamill TM, Whitaker JS, Mullen SL (2006) Reforecasts: an important dataset for improving weather predictions. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 87(1): 33–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison M, Troccoli A, Anderson DLT, Mason SJ (2008) Introduction (Chapter 1). In Seasonal Climate: Forecasting and Managing Risk (Eds. Troccoli A, Harrison M, Anderson DLT, Mason SJ). NATO Science Series IV: Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vol. 82, Springer, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • Holland G (Ed.) (2009) Global Guide to Tropical Cyclone Forecasting. Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre (Australia) WMO/TD-No. 560, Report No. TCP-31, World Meteorological Organization; Geneva, Switzerland. http://www.bom.gov.au/bmrc/pubs/tcguide/globa_guide_intro.htm. Accessed 14 July 2009

  • Jolliffe IT, Stephenson DB (2003) Forecast Verification. A Practitioner’s Guide in Atmospheric Science. Wiley, Chichester

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalnay E (2002) Atmospheric Modeling, Data Assimilation, and Predictability. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Klein WH, Lewis BM, Enger I (1959) Objective prediction of five-day mean temperature during winter. Journal of Meteorology, 16: 672–682

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Komen GJ, Cavaleri P, Donelan M, Hasselmann K, Hasselmann S, Janssen P (1994) Dynamics and Modelling of Ocean Waves. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Krzysztofowicz (2004) Bayesian processor of output: a new technique for probabilistic weather forecasting. Preprints, 17th Conference on Probability and Statistics in the Atmospheric Sciences, American Meteorological Society, Paper 4.2, Seattle, Washington, January 2004

    Google Scholar 

  • Lean HW, Clark PA (2003) The effects of changing resolution on mesoscale modelling of line convection and slantwise circulations in FASTEX IOP16. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 129(592): 2255–2278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lorenz EN (1993) The Essence of Chaos. University of Washington Press, Seattle, WA

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Madden RA, Julian PR (1994) Observations of the 40–50 day Tropical Oscillation: A Review. Monthly Weather Review, 122:814–836

    Google Scholar 

  • Mason SJ, Baddour O (2008) Statistical modelling (Chapter 7). In Seasonal Climate: Forecasting and Managing Risk (Eds. Troccoli A, Harrison M, Anderson DLT, Mason SJ). NATO Science Series IV: Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vol. 82, Springer, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • Molteni F, Buizza R, Palmer TN, Petroliagis T (1996) The ECMWF Ensemble Prediction System: methodology and validation. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 122, 73–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mueller C, Saxen T, Roberts R, Wilson J, Betancourt T, Dettling S, Oien N, Yee J (2003) NCAR auto-nowcast system. Weather and Forecasting, 18(4): 545–561

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy AH (1993) What is a good forecast? An essay on the nature of goodness in weather forecasting. Weather and Forecasting, 8(2): 281–293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Obled C, Bontron G, Garcon R (2002) Quantitative precipitation forecasts: a statistical adaptation of model outputs through an analogues sorting approach. Atmospheric Research, 63: 303–324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Obled C, Datin R (1997) Rainfall information requirements for Mediterranean flood operational forecasts. In Proceeding of the Workshop on River Basin Modelling, Management and Flood Mitigation, Padua, Italy, 25–26 September

    Google Scholar 

  • Obled C, Zin I, Marty R, Bontron G, Djerboua A, Thevenot N (2007) Adaptation by Analogs of PQPFs for Use in a Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Chain. Third HEPEX Meeting, Stresa, 27–29 June 2007

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer T, Hagedorn R (Eds.) (2006) Predictability of Weather and Climate. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Park Y-Y, Buizza R, Leutbecher M (2008) TIGGE: preliminary results on comparing and combining ensembles. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 134: 2029–2050

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park SK, Liang X (Eds.) (2009) Data Assimilation for Atmospheric, Oceanic and Hydrologic Applications. Springer, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • Persson A, Grazzini, F (2007) User Guide to ECMWF Forecast Products, Version 4.0, 14 March 2007. http://www.ecmwf.int/products/forecasts/guide/. Accessed 14 July 2009

  • Pierce C, Bowler N, Seed A, Jones D, Moore R (2005) Towards stochastic fluvial flood forecasting: quantification of uncertainty in very short range QPF’s and its propagation through hydrological and decision making models. Second ACTIF workshop on Quantification, Reduction and Dissemination of Uncertainty in Flood Forecasting, Delft, 23–24 November 2004. http://www.actif-ec.net/Workshop2/ACTIF_WS2_Session1-cont.html. Accessed 14 July 2009

  • Raftery AE, Gneiting T, Balabdaoui F, Polakowski M (2005) Using Bayesian model averaging to calibrate forecast ensembles. Monthly Weather Review, 133: 1155–1174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rhea JO (1978) Orographic precipitation model for hydrometeorological use. PhD Dissertation, Colorado State University. Department of Atmospheric Science, Fort Collins, Colorado

    Google Scholar 

  • Scofield RA, Kuligowski RJ, Davenport JC (2004) The use of the Hydro-Nowcaster for mesoscale convective systems and the Tropical Rainfall Nowcaster (TRaN) for landfalling tropical systems. The 84th American Meteorological Society Meeting, Symposium on Planning, Nowcasting, and Forecasting in the Urban Zone, Seattle. http://ams.confex.com/ams/84Annual/. Accessed 14 July 2009

  • Sheng YP, Paramygin VA, Alymov V, Davis JR (2005) A real-time forecasting system for hurricane induced storm surge and coastal flooding. The 9th International Conference on Estuarine and Coastal Modeling, Charleston, SC

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanski HR, Wilson LJ, Burrows WR (1989) Survey of common verification methods in meteorology. World Weather Watch Technical Report No.8, WMO/TD No.358, World Meteorological Organisation, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Teweless K, Wobus H (1954) Verification of the prognosis charts. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 35(10): 446–455

    Google Scholar 

  • Tolman HL (1999) User manual and system documentation of WAVEWATCH-III Version 1.18. NOAA/NWS/NCEP/OMB Technical Note 166, National Weather Service, NOAA, US Department of Commerce

    Google Scholar 

  • Toth Z, Kalnay E (1997) Ensemble forecasting at NCEP and the breeding method. Monthly Weather Review, 12: 3297–3319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Treinish LA, Praino AP (2006) The role of Meso-γ-Scale numerical weather prediction and visualisation for weather-sensitive decision making. AMS Forum: Environmental Risk and Impacts on Society: Successes and Challenges, 28 January–2 February 2006, Atlanta, GA http://ams.confex.com/ams/Annual2006/techprogram/paper_102538.htm. Accessed 14 July 2009

  • Troccoli A, Harrison M, Anderson DL T, Mason SJ (2008) Seasonal Climate: Forecasting and Managing Risk. NATO Science Series IV: Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vol. 82, Springer, Dordrecht

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Uppala SM et al. (with 45 co-authors) (2006) The ERA-40 re-analysis. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 131(612): 2961–3012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van den Dool H (2007) Empirical Methods in Short-Term Climate Prediction. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker JW (1997) Pen portrait of Sir Gilbert Walker, CSII, MA, ScD, FRS. Weather, 52(7): 217–220

    Google Scholar 

  • Webster PJ, Hoyos C (2004) Prediction of monsoon rainfall and river discharge on 15–30 day time scales. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 2004, 1745–1765, November

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilks DS (2006) Statistical Methods in the Atmospheric Sciences: An Introduction. 2nd Edition, Academic Press, Burlington MA

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilks DS, Hamill TM (2007) Comparison of Ensemble-MOS Methods Using GFS Reforecasts. Monthly Weather Review, 135(6): 2379–2390

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilby RL, Wigley TM L (1997) Downscaling general circulation model output: a review of methods and limitations. Progress in Physical Geography, 21(4): 530–548

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson JW (2004) Precipitation nowcasting: past, present and future. Sixth International Symposium on Hydrological Applications of Weather Radar, Melbourne

    Google Scholar 

  • World Meteorological Organisation (1992) Manual on the Global Data-Processing and Forecasting System. Volume I – Global Aspects. WMO-No. 485, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • World Meteorological Organisation (2000) Precipitation estimation and forecasting. Operational Hydrology Report No. 46, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kevin Sene .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Sene, K. (2010). Meteorological Forecasting. In: Hydrometeorology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3403-8_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics