The central European floods of August 2002: Part 1 - Rainfall periods and flood development

Record-breaking rainfall amounts and intensities were observed at several raingauges in central Europe during the first half of August 2002 (Fig. 1). They produced flash floods in small rivers in the Erz Mountains, the Bohemian Forest and in Lower Austria (see Fig. 2), followed by record-breaking floods of larger rivers fed from these areas. The Vltava submerged parts of the city of Prague on 13± 15 August, and subsequently the Elbe flooded parts of Dresden and further villages and towns located downstream. The gauge level of 9.40m measured at Dresden on 17 August 2002 is the highest level since 1275, exceeding the former maximum level of 8.77m recorded in 1845 (Grollmann and Simon 2002). Parts of the Danube catchment were also affected by severe flooding. There were 100 fatalities connected with the floods in central Europe, and the economic loss is estimated at 9 billion Euros for Germany (German government’s estimate), 3 billion Euros for Austria, and 2.5 billion Euros for the Czech Republic (estimates from Boyle 2002). The event thus replaced the European winter storm Lothar of December 1999 (Ulbrich et al. 2001) as the most expensive weather-related catastrophe in Europe in recent decades (see Cornford 2002). In this study, we give an overview of the exceptional rainfall experienced over wide areas on 12/13 August 2002, and the resulting floods. Further events during early August 2002, in particular the event on 6/7 August in Lower Austria, are briefly mentioned

dphase_peps: SRNWP-PEPS ensemble forecasts run by DWD for the MAP D-PHASE project

The SRNWP-PEPS consists of 21 different operational limited area models: Weather Service / Limited Area Model / Resolution [km] / Coupling Model / Forcast Period / Time Interval [h] / Main Run [UTC] Denmark HIRLAM 16 ECMWF +60h 1 0, 6, 12, 18 Finland HIRLAM 22 ECMWF +54h 1 0, 6, 12, 18 Ireland HIRLAM 16 ECMWF +48h 3 0, 6, 12, 18 Netherlands HIRLAM 22 ECMWF +48h 1 0, 6, 12, 18 Spain HIRLAM 18 ECMWF +48h 1 0, 6, 12, 18 Norway HIRLAM 22 ECMWF +30h 1 0, 12 Sweden I HIRLAM 11 ECMWF +48h 3 0, 6, 12, 18 Sweden II HIRLAM 22 ECMWF +48h 3 0, 6, 12, 18 Belgium ALADIN 15 ARPEGE +60h 1 0, 12 Austria ALADIN_A 9.6 ARPEGE +48h 1 0, 12 France ALADIN_F 11 ARPEGE +48h 3 0, 12 Croatia ALADIN_L 8.9 ARPEGE +48h 3 0, 12 Czech Rep. ALADIN_L 11 ARPEGE +48h 1 0, 12 Hungary ALADIN_L 11 ARPEGE +48h 1 0, 12 Slovakia ALADIN_L 11 ARPEGE +48h 3 0, 12 Slovenia ALADIN_L 9.5 ARPEGE +48h 3 0, 12 United Kingdom UKMO-LAM 12 UM global +48h 3 0, 6, 12, 18 Germany LME 7 GME +78h 1 0, 12 // Germany LME 7 GME +48h 1 6, 18 Switzerland aLMo 7 ECMWF +72h 1 0, 12 Italy EuroLM 7 EuroHRM +60h 3 0, 12 Poland LM 14 GME +72h 3 0, 12 The relation between these models and the numbers of the SRNWP PEPS ensemble is anonymous. The SRNWP-PEPS generates probability forecasts by interpreting the overlapping areas of the single forecasts as members of a local ensemble. Due to the different domains of the deterministic models the size of the ensemble depends on location. Hence the quality of the forecasted probability distributions varies over the PEPS domain. THE PLEV data set could not be provided for PEPS. Grid description: xsize,ysize,xinc, yinc differ for ensemble members (see datasets) CDOM: xfirst: 6.0 yfirst: 47.0 xnpole: 0.0 ynpole: 0.0 DDOM: xfirst: 2.0 yfirst: 43.0 xnpole: 0.0 ynpole: 0.

dphase_lme: LME (COSMO-EU) model forecasts run by DWD for the MAP D-PHASE project

This experiment contains forecasts from the LME (COSMO-EU) model of DWD (7km horizontal resolution, 40 model levels). Model runs are started every 6h at 00, 06, 12 and 18 UTC with a forecast range of +72h. LME (COSMO-EU) is an operational forecast model of DWD. The output is mostly according to the tigge+ list. Descriptions of the differences to TIGGE+ can be found in the summary of the data sets. For a detailed description of the LME (COSMO-EU) model, please contact the originator of the data. Grid description: CDOM: xfirst: -2.73 yfirst: -2.927 xsize: 177.0 ysize: 112.0 xinc: 0.063 yinc: 0.063 xnpole: -170.0 ynpole: 40.0 DDOM: xfirst: -5.882 yfirst: -6.685 xsize: 177.0 ysize: 112.0 xinc: 0.063 yinc: 0.063 xnpole: -170.0 ynpole: 40.

dphase_mpeps: MicroPEPS LAF-Ensemble run by DWD for the MAP D-PHASE project

The D-Phase MicroPEPS is a LAF-Ensemble (lagged average forecast) that is based upon 5 different high resolution models: COSMOCH2 LMK AROME CMCGEMH ISACMOL2 The individual members can be found in the respective experiments 'dphase_*' in this data base. As time lagged forecasts the initialisation times t-3h and t-6h relative to the reference time t are incorporated. In a maximum the MicroPEPS might have 9 members (COSMOCH2: 3, LMK: 3, AROME: 1, CMCGEMH: 1, ISACMOL: 1). While COSMOCH2 and LMK generate new forecasts every 3 hours the other models run less frequently. In the 6 hour MicroPEPS time window AROME, CMCGEMH and ISACMOL provide one run each. During operation the ensemble size might change due to the availability of the forecasts. The MicroPEPS uses equal weights for averaging its members. The MicroPEPS generates probability forecasts by interpreting the overlapping areas of the single forecasts as members of a local ensemble. Due to the different domains of the deterministic models the size of the ensemble depends on location. Hence the quality of the forecasted probability distributions varies over the domain. There will be four runs a day at 0, 6, 12 and 18 UTC. Grid description: CDOM: xfirst: 6.0 yfirst: 47.0 xsize: 168.0 ysize: 151.0 xinc: 0.03 yinc: 0.02 xnpole: 0.0 ynpole: 0.0 DDOM: xfirst: 2.0 yfirst: 43.0 xsize: 535.0 ysize: 351.0 xinc: 0.03 yinc: 0.02 xnpole: 0.0 ynpole: 0.

dphase_lmk: LMK (COSMO-DE) high resolution model forecasts run by DWD for the MAP D-PHASE project

This experiment contains forecasts from the LMK (COSMO-DE) high resolution model of DWD (2.8km horizontal resoultion and 50 model levels). Model runs are started every 3h at 00, 03, 06, 09, 12, 15, 18 and 21 UTC with a forecast range of +18h. LMK (COSMO-DE) is an operational forecast model of DWD. Therefore, we adapted the output of the model as close as possible to the tigge+ list, but there are some differences; see dataset summaries. For a detailed description of the LMK (COSMO-DE) model, please contact the originator of the data. All datasets for COPS in the database have an output frequency of 15 minutes. If the variables are not provided by LMK (COSMO-DE) with an output frequency of 15 minutes then the hourly output has been linearily interpolated in time. LMK (COSMO-DE) provides only a subset of the TIGGE+ variables with an output frequency of 15 minutes. These are: Total precipitation (all types) (kg/m**2) acc_st 011 002 TPT2 Precipitation: grid-scale only, rain (kg/m**2) acc_st 102 201 SURF Precipitation: grid-scale only, snow (kg/m**2) acc_st 079 002 SURF Precipitation: grid-scale only, graupel (kg/m**2) acc_st 132 201 SURF Precipitation rate: grid-scale only, rain (kg/s/m**2) inst 100 201 SURF Precipitation rate: grid-scale only, snow (kg/s/m**2) inst 100 201 SURF Precipitation rate: grid-scale only, graupel (kg/s/m**2) inst 100 201 SURF Total column water vapour (or precipitable water) (kg/m**2) inst 054 002 SURF Total column cloud water (or cloud water) (kg/m**2) inst 076 002 SURF Total column cloud ice (or cloud ice) (kg/m**2) inst 058 002 SURF W-velocity (m/s) inst 040 002 MUVW Grid descitption: CDOM: xfirst: -2.73 yfirst: -2.927 xsize: 135.0 ysize: 118.0 xinc: 0.025 yinc: 0.025 xnpole: -170.0 ynpole: 40.0 DDOM: xfirst: -5.882 yfirst: -6.685 xsize: 441.0 ysize: 279.0 xinc: 0.025 yinc: 0.025 xnpole: -170.0 ynpole: 40.

Beitraege zur Rolle des natuerlichen Schwefelkreislaufs in der Atmosphaere

The report presents research findings which contribute to a better understanding of the natural atmospheric sulphur cycle. A new mass-spectrometric method (SI/CI/MS) was developed which for the first time enables direct and continuous measurement of DMS, SO2, DMSO and DMSO2 down to the sub-pptv range. This made it possible to measure different sulphur components simultaneously. The global natural and anthropogenic sulphur emissions were re-estimated and specified by sulphur compoundsEs werden eigene Forschungsergebnisse vorgestellt, die zu einem besseren Verstaendnis des natuerlichen atmosphaerischen Schwefelkreislaufs beitragen: Es wurde ein neuartiges massenspektrometrisches Verfahren entwickelt, das erstmals eine direkte, kontinuierliche Messung u.a. von DMS, Schwefeldioxid und DMSO bis hin in den sub-pptv Bereich ermoeglicht. Damit wurden erstmals parallele Messungen verschiedener Schwefelkomponenten moeglich. Die globale natuerliche und anthropogene Schwefelquellstaerke wurde neu abgeschaetzt und nach einzelnen Schwefelverbindungen spezifiziert. (orig./ABI)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

Die bodennahen Windverhaeltnisse in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland

With 15 tabs., 46 figs.Available from Deutscher Wetterdienst - Zentralamt, Offenbach am Main (DE) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLE2., completely rev. ed.DEGerman