MeteoGIS: GIS-based system for monitoring of severe meteorological phenomena

Abstract

The MeteoGIS system developed at the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management – National Research Institute in Poland is a GIS-based system for real-time monitoring of weather and the generation of meteorological warnings. Apart from its monitoring features, it can also provide more advanced analysis, including SQL (Structured Query Language) queries and statistical analyses. Input data are provided mainly by the INCA-PL 2 nowcasting model which employs forecasts from the high-resolution AROME numerical weather prediction model and measurement data from the Polish weather radar network POLRAD and surface meteorological stations. As well as this, data from the PERUN lighting detection system are used. Ingestion of such data allows for the mitigation of risk from potentially hazardous weather phenomena such as extreme temperatures, strong wind, thunderstorms, heavy rain and subsequent impending floods. The following meteorological parameters at ground level are visualised in the MeteoGIS: (i) precipitation (accumulation and type), (ii) temperature, (iii) wind (speed and direction), (iv) lightning (locations and type). End users of the system are workers from civil protection services who are interested in shortterm warnings against severe weather events, especially area-oriented ones (related to districts, catchments, etc.). The reliability of visualised data is a very important issue, and from the MeteoGIS user’s point of view the improvement in data quality is a continuous process