Publisher details
University of Reading |
Available document(s)


![]()
![]()
Evaluation of subseasonal prediction of extreme rainfall events and their relationship with the Madden Julian Oscillation over the Solomon Islands
The conference provides an opportunity for students especially PhD students to present their work and get feedback from other professionals. Not only that but the it also offers an excellent chance for networking among aspiring scientists and the possibility for future collaborations.
Evaluation of subseasonal prediction of extreme rainfall events and their relationship with the Madden Julian Oscillation over the Solomon Islands
![]()
Published by: University of Reading ; 2017
The conference provides an opportunity for students especially PhD students to present their work and get feedback from other professionals. Not only that but the it also offers an excellent chance for networking among aspiring scientists and the possibility for future collaborations.
Notes: If you wish to download the full text, please contact the author (david.hiba(at)met.gov.sb>) or library(at)wmo.int (Please replace (at) by @).
Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Free)Tags: Thesis - WMO Fellowship Division ; Precipitation forecasting
Add tag
No review, please log in to add yours !
![]()
![]()
Assessing Agricultural Risk in Africa Using Satellite Data and Land Surface Models
Droughts pose a major risk in most African countries including Ghana where agricultural activities are heavily dependent on rainfall. Efforts at assessing droughts and providing decision support tools to farmers are hampered by a lack of rainfall and other meteorological data over many parts of Africa. Satellite based rainfall measurements have been suggested to fill the rainfall data gaps over Africa to enable effective assessment of droughts. Traditional methods of assessing droughts have been based on statistical formulations that relied mostly on precipitation. This approach to assessing d ...
Published by: University of Reading ; 2015
Droughts pose a major risk in most African countries including Ghana where agricultural activities are heavily dependent on rainfall. Efforts at assessing droughts and providing decision support tools to farmers are hampered by a lack of rainfall and other meteorological data over many parts of Africa. Satellite based rainfall measurements have been suggested to fill the rainfall data gaps over Africa to enable effective assessment of droughts. Traditional methods of assessing droughts have been based on statistical formulations that relied mostly on precipitation. This approach to assessing droughts ignores important soil water balance processes such as evapotranspiration and antecedent soil moisture which limits its applicability to agricultural drought assessment. We use in-situ observation data (OBS), satellite estimated rainfall data (TAMSAT) and the Joint UK Land and Environment Simulator model to study soil moisture and how it impacts on crop production. The response of soil moisture to changes in vegetation and soil type is tested through a series of experiments in which the soil and vegetation parameters in JULES are changed. TAMSAT was found to persistently underestimate the intensity and amount of rainfall and as a result soil moisture content over northern Ghana but showed good skill replicating the inter-annual variations and the occurrence of rainfall during the rainy season. Soils with greater clay contents showed more tendencies to have drought than those with lesser clay content. Land surfaces with C3 grass were found to be less prone to droughts than those with C4 grass. Meteorological wet and dry years were found not to correspond to agricultural wet and dry years highlighting the importance of using soil moisture for assessment agricultural drought as was done in this study.
Notes: A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science in Applied Meteorology and Climate with Management. - If you wish to download the full text, please contact library(at)wmo.int (Please replace (at) by @).
Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Available online for logged-in users)Tags: Drought forecasting ; Satellite ; Agrometeorology ; Region I - Africa ; Thesis - WMO Fellowship Division
Add tag
No review, please log in to add yours !
![]()
![]()
Assessing the impacts of temporal resolution of precipitation forcing data on the surface energy and water balance
In urban climate research, spatial and temporal variability of precipitation is always a critical element for numerical modelling. However, the effects of temporal resolution of precipitation forcing data has received little attention. Moreover, there has always been a difference practically and theoretically in the availability of precipitation data. This study was carried out to assess the impact of temporal resolution of precipitation forcing data on the modelled surface energy and water balance using available data from a site at the Strand campus of Kings College London. Analysis has been ...
Assessing the impacts of temporal resolution of precipitation forcing data on the surface energy and water balance
![]()
Published by: University of Reading ; 2015
In urban climate research, spatial and temporal variability of precipitation is always a critical element for numerical modelling. However, the effects of temporal resolution of precipitation forcing data has received little attention. Moreover, there has always been a difference practically and theoretically in the availability of precipitation data. This study was carried out to assess the impact of temporal resolution of precipitation forcing data on the modelled surface energy and water balance using available data from a site at the Strand campus of Kings College London. Analysis has been carried out using 5 minute rainfall data as a reference, compared with rainfall data accumulated to various temporal resolutions. The results suggest that as the temporal resolution of precipitation forcing data decreased, there are significant impacts on the modelled output depending on the timing of rainfall occurrence, rainfall intensity and the rainfall duration. The modelled evaporation and runoff, as well as other variables such as the turbulent heat fluxes, tends to deviate from referenced rainfall data. For days with daily total rainfall amount more than median but less than maximum, results shows more significant impacts on the modelled surface energy balance and water balance. Under conditions of no rain, as expected, the impacts of temporal resolution were less significant. This study highlights the importance of high resolution precipitation forcing data in urban areas for modelling for a wide range of applications.
Notes: A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master in Applied Meteorology and Climate with Management AMCM) - If you wish to download the full text, please contact library(at)wmo.int (Please replace (at) by @).
Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Available online for logged-in users)Tags: Precipitation ; Climate model ; Research ; Thesis - WMO Fellowship Division
Add tag
No review, please log in to add yours !
![]()
![]()
Instability Indices and Heavy Rainfall Forecast in a Maritime Environment
Forecasting heavy rainfall associated with in-situ convective cloud development over small island states is a challenge in operational forecasting as not all numerical models are able to resolve convection at such small scales. Forecasting of such phenomena is mainly based on prevailing local conditions and the use of a plethora of thermodynamic indices derived from the local sounding. This study is an effort to assess the suitability of the different available indices, hereafter referred as traditional indices, to forecast heavy rainfall from local convection, commonly known as pure sea breez ...
Published by: University of Reading ; 2015
Forecasting heavy rainfall associated with in-situ convective cloud development over small island states is a challenge in operational forecasting as not all numerical models are able to resolve convection at such small scales. Forecasting of such phenomena is mainly based on prevailing local conditions and the use of a plethora of thermodynamic indices derived from the local sounding. This study is an effort to assess the suitability of the different available indices, hereafter referred as traditional indices, to forecast heavy rainfall from local convection, commonly known as pure sea breeze, over Mauritius. An attempt is also made to improve the forecast through modifications of the traditional indices, to include lower boundary layer temperature and moisture parameters. Suitable thresholds of all these indices are also determined via scatter plots of the events which are categorised into weak, moderate and severe based on hourly rainfall intensity.
Notes: Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfilment For a Master in Applied Meteorology with Climate and Management.
Supervisor: Dr. Pete Inness - If you wish to download the full text, please contact library(at)wmo.int (Please replace (at) by @).Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Available online for logged-in users)Tags: Precipitation forecasting ; Marine environment ; Thesis - WMO Fellowship Division
Add tag
No review, please log in to add yours !
![]()
![]()
Investigating apparent aerosol effects on precipitation in climate model simulations
Aerosols in the atmosphere serve as condensation nuclei for the cloud formation. This brings an important influence on the microphysical properties of cloud water that in turn affect the processes in the formation of precipitation. Aerosol-cloud-precipitation interaction which simultaneously change cloud albedo interest many studies to find out aerosol impact on precipitation formation. The studies were done by observation measurement and simulation. UK Met Office Unified Model (UM) is one model that includes aerosol direct and indirect effect in the NWP configuration which leads to study aero ...
Published by: University of Reading ; 2015
Aerosols in the atmosphere serve as condensation nuclei for the cloud formation. This brings an important influence on the microphysical properties of cloud water that in turn affect the processes in the formation of precipitation. Aerosol-cloud-precipitation interaction which simultaneously change cloud albedo interest many studies to find out aerosol impact on precipitation formation. The studies were done by observation measurement and simulation. UK Met Office Unified Model (UM) is one model that includes aerosol direct and indirect effect in the NWP configuration which leads to study aerosol impact on precipitation. Recent study use UM to simulate precipitation susceptibility when using aerosol-cloud interaction and no aerosol-cloud interaction which both showing precipitation dependency on aerosol. This dissertation investigate what particular factor and process leads to the apparent precipitation susceptibility by using UM SCM (Single Column Model) to simulate marine boundary-layer clouds and investigate several factor that may cause the apparent precipitation susceptibility including wind and time steps. Simulation with applying different horizontal and vertical wind tendency and time steps was done. Precipitation susceptibility found to be sensitive with the time step choices and wind tendency.
Notes: A dissertation submitted to the University of Reading in partial fulfilment of the Master of Science
Degree in Applied Meteorology, Climate with Management (AMCM) - If you wish to download the full text, please contact library(at)wmo.int (Please replace (at) by @).Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Available online for logged-in users) (ill., charts, maps)Tags: Climate model ; Precipitation ; Aerosols ; Thesis - WMO Fellowship Division
Add tag
No review, please log in to add yours !
![]()
![]()
![]()
WMO Regional Training Seminar : Analysis of data from individual stations
Stern Roger - University of Reading, 2001
Permalink