Overarching Goal:
To advance knowledge in hydrometeorology, aerosol-precipitation interactions, very short term precipitation nowcasting, microphysical modeling, and winter weather in order to improve precipitation and flash flood forecast and provide relevant information to water resource decision makers.
Motivation
Hydrometeorology is the science that combines studies of the atmosphere and the hydrosphere, particularly interactions between the two. RAL’s hydrology component has slowly grown over the past five years and has recently been merged administratively with its longstanding convective weather and winter weather scientific groups on the atmospheric side, aided by the NCAR Water Cycle Initiative.
“Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.”
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
This merger is fortuitous. Applications focused on water resources, flood warnings and control, winter weather precipitation events and weather modification are growing at a rapid rate. Earth’s water supply, when considered on a regional basis, may not be sustainable relative to agricultural and industrial practices of the last century. These application areas raise many questions that can only be addressed by multi-year, interdisciplinary research programs. Ultimately, engineering solutions will have to be applied using the results of the basic and directed research. RAL is motivated to building this research area to meet the needs of national (federal, state, county and municipal) and international organizations in the public and private sectors and to make a significant contribution to the science of hydrometeorology.
Strategic Approach
Current research is focused on the following areas:
Short term convective weather forecasting
- Aerosols and precipitation
- Hydrometeorology processes
- Microphysical parameterizations
- Winter weather research
- Quantitative precipitation forecasting
RAL and its university collaborators will continue to pursue these research tracks which have emanated from careful inter-laboratory and cross-institutional collaboration over the past several years. It may be mentioned that these hydrometeorological goals are strongly leveraged with NSF support from the U.S. Weather Research Program and more recently the NCAR Water Cycle initiative.
RAL is engaged in a spectrum of research activities which aim to improve understanding of hydrometeorological processes and increase the accuracy and value of community-based hydrometeorological prediction systems. The staff members are currently engaged in several projects extending from basic research to highly conceptualized applications. A unifying theme throughout these projects is to add value to the community facilities developed and maintained by NCAR.