Satellite inspired hydrology in an uncertain future: a H SAF and HEPEX workshop

The number of precipitation-related observations that are used in ECMWF’s operational 4D-Var data assimilation system has been steadily increasing over the past two decades, bringing a significant improvement in the quality of atmospheric analyses and subsequent forecasts. This presentation will review the status of ECMWF’s operational assimilation of all-sky satellite microwave brightness temperatures, ground-based radar composites (NEXRAD over the United States) and summarize recent developments toward the assimilation of even more observations from OPERA precipitation composites over Europe, from space-borne radar and lidar as well as from lightning observing systems such as GOES GLM.