WCR: Continuous and High-Resolution Thunderstorm Monitoring in Africa and Beyond to Support Water Cycle Research

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The Water Cycle Research (WCR) project will develop a continuous thunderstorm monitoring system over the African continent for characterization of convective precipitation variability at spatial resolutions needed for hydroclimate studies and applications. In the absence of ground weather radar and reliable surface measurements of precipitation over vast regions of Africa, space observations provide a valuable, unique means of monitoring rainfall variability. Dr. Anagnostou (U Conn) and co-PI Dr. Williams (MIT) will extend the lightning based monitoring system that is operative over Europe, West Asia, and the Atlantic Ocean to the African continent, from deployment of sferics-based radio receivers at four African sites. Cloud-to-ground lightning events will be retrieved in real time, and combined with satellite infrared and microwave observations to monitor convective precipitation and thunderstorm rain-rates. The fully implemented system will provide reliable, real-time data for hydro-meteorological forecasting and water resource management, with considerable socio-economic benefits to the African people.