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Precipitation and floodiness
Author(s) -
Stephens E.,
Day J. J.,
Pappenberger F.,
Cloke H.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2015gl066779
Subject(s) - hydrometeorology , flood myth , precipitation , environmental science , climatology , flood forecasting , scale (ratio) , hazard , meteorology , quantitative precipitation forecast , proxy (statistics) , geology , geography , statistics , mathematics , chemistry , cartography , archaeology , organic chemistry
There are a number of factors that lead to nonlinearity between precipitation anomalies and flood hazard; this nonlinearity is a pertinent issue for applications that use a precipitation forecast as a proxy for imminent flood hazard. We assessed the degree of this nonlinearity for the first time using a recently developed global‐scale hydrological model driven by the ERA‐Interim/Land precipitation reanalysis (1980–2010). We introduced new indices to assess large‐scale flood hazard, or floodiness, and quantified the link between monthly precipitation, river discharge, and floodiness anomalies at the global and regional scales. The results show that monthly floodiness is not well correlated with precipitation, therefore demonstrating the value of hydrometeorological systems for providing floodiness forecasts for decision‐makers. A method is described for forecasting floodiness using the Global Flood Awareness System, building a climatology of regional floodiness from which to forecast floodiness anomalies out to 2 weeks.