Most downloaded  

This work used machine learning to produce the first open source building height map of Ireland. This map is intended to more accurately determine Local Climate Zones for use in the underlying physiography dataset in the HARMONIE AROME numerical weather prediction model.

At MET Norway, a small interdisciplinary team – the Sandbox – tries to improve the communication between the meteorologists and their audience. In 2021, we focused on the communication of forecast uncertainty. The Sandbox created, with input from internal and external experts, solutions for applying linguistic and visual tools for forecasters to communicate about uncertainty. In the article, we share our experiences and lessons learned.

Weather forecast refers to objective estimations of parameters such as temperature, wind, humidity etc. However, attempts have been made to communicate the weather forecast into a more subjective approach, such as the "feels like" temperature. We propose an architecture for an artificial intelligence-based system to provide a forecast that could be more meaningful and actionable for each individual person; a forecast much closer to the way that this person "lives" the weather conditions.

Wildfire origins can be related to human activity or to natural phenomena, like lightning. Under favourable environmental conditions, lightning ignitions can develop into a fire. In the present study, we analyse the kind of weather that favours wildfires ignited by lightning in Catalonia. We have found that most fires occur under three types of weather. These results help to improve our understanding of lightning fires and are of great assistance to wildfire management agencies.

High resolution, probabilistic weather prediction systems are increasingly able to model lightning activity with unprecedented accuracy. Is the probabilistic approach skillful when applied to localized, deep convection? This work shows that the ensemble prediction system maintained by the German Weather Service is able to provide a useful forecast of lightning activity at a scale of around 200 km and that the probabilistic approach can anticipate possible lack of accuracy in both time and space.

The main aspect of the paper is to obtain transferable principles for the development of digital knowledge transfer products. As such products are still unstandardised, the authors explored challenges and approaches for product developments. The authors report what they see as useful principles for developing digital knowledge transfer products, by describing the experience of developing the Net-Zero-2050 Web-Atlas and the "Bodenkohlenstoff-App".

Climate normals are used as reference for climate monitoring. When calculating precipitation normals for the period 1991–2020 a homogeneous reference dataset is needed. Norway's observation network has changed drastically in the last 30 years and may have introduced non-climatic changes to the time series. Homogeneity analysis of monthly precipitation series for the period 1961–2018 was performed which produced a homogenous dataset that was used to calculate the new climate normals in Norway.

The interdisciplinary research project WEXICOM funded by the German weather service (DWD) conducted focus group discussions and semi-structured expert interviews with members of road maintenance services in Germany. This paper focuses on the needs and demands practitioners of road maintenance services have in regard to a prospective introduction of impact-based forecasts and warnings and how weather forecasts are used at the moment.

Cities are particularly affected by climate change. Adaptation strategies require data, models and scenario analyses. This paper characterizes the urban microclimate of a 16 ha study area in Cologne based on a network of 33 calibrated and validated sensors. Using statistical analyses, tests and pairwise comparisons, significant microclimatic differences were identified between a park, courtyard, avenue and narrow street. The data will be used in future to validate an ENVI-met microclimate model.

The energy exchanged during condensation/evaporation processes is an important driving force of tropical cumulus convection. We found theoretically, and confirmed in computer simulations, that the rate of condensation/evaporation can be expressed as a linear function of the cloud vertical velocity. This finding suggests a new approach to calculate cloud energy transformations in numerical weather prediction models.

There has been developed for Central America downscaled climate change scenarios using the same methodology, that allows a joint analysis for the whole region. The high number of simulations improves the situation prior to the start of the action, where each country had a limited number of projections that differed in terms of background information, methodology and resolution. A web based viewer allows consultations and download on 37 different climatic variables and derived indices.

We study the flow in the lower atmosphere in response to a sudden surface cooling. Our numerical approach aims to resolve all relevant scales of the flow but only along a vertical column. Complex turbulent motions are modeled by simple random mappings. We show that the numerical model accurately captures some relevant features of near-surface turbulent winds and temperature fluctuations. The model offers new opportunities for atmospheric chemistry and polar boundary layer application cases.

Nowadays, thunderstorms and lightning strikes have also come to the forefront of public interest as they cause significant damage, injuries, and forest fires. Due to the lack of knowledge in the public consciousness, many myths have developed around them. Our research aims to determine what can be taught in high schools about lightning strikes, the reduction of their damages, and lightning protection. We created some teaching resources and would like to share our teaching experiences.