ceos   eesa
eo_handbook
spacer
spacer
Satellite EO Capabilities for Each Phase of Disaster Risk Reduction
  Mitigation and Preparedness  
  Monitoring Risk – Weather Hazards  
  Monitoring Risk – Wildfires, Volcanoes, and Geohazards  
  Disaster Response  
  Disaster Recovery  
  Long-Term Climate Monitoring  
 



Click for print edition photo spread >>
 
spacer Monitoring Risk – Weather Hazards

The Global Observing System

A large portion of disasters – over 90% by some assessments – are linked to hydrometeorological hazards. Climate change is expected to lead to an increase in the intensity and frequency of some of these hazards.

Satellites operated by the world’s space and meteorological agencies underpin the space segment of the Global Observing System (GOS), which is coordinated by the WMO. These satellites provide unique meteorological and environmental observations that enable warnings of extreme weather events on a global scale.

The established dissemination channels of the GOS provide information to decision makers at the local level and serve as a useful model for the timely transmission of disaster information.

spacer
spacer spacer


spacer
spacer spacer Space-Based GOS

Satellite observations from the GOS space segment provide unique global weather data that cannot be gathered from terrestrial sources. These observations greatly improve extreme weather forecast accuracy, coverage, and range, including tropical storms such as hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones, severe rain and storm activity, and tornadoes.

Forecasts of these extreme weather events allow authorities to issue warnings, coordinate evacuations, and manage the response to major incidents. In the aftermath of major incidents, satellite observations support timely damage assessments and the monitoring of resulting hazards such as flooding.

A new generation of geostationary satellites, the first of which was launched in 2014, is expected to further improve the quality and timeliness of data, producing more than 50 times the information provided by the current systems. This will include a wider variety of unique observations of the environment, with particular emphasis on hazardous weather, and will be able to provide tropical storm-scale regional observations every 2.5 minutes.

spacer
spacer spacer


spacer
spacer spacer Space Data Capabilities

Satellite observations from the GOS space segment provide unique global weather data that cannot be gathered from terrestrial sources. These observations greatly improve extreme weather forecast accuracy, coverage, and range, including tropical storms such as hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones, severe rain and storm activity, and tornadoes.

Forecasts of these extreme weather events allow authorities to issue warnings, coordinate evacuations, and manage the response to major incidents. In the aftermath of major incidents, satellite observations support timely damage assessments and the monitoring of resulting hazards such as flooding.

A new generation of geostationary satellites, the first of which was launched in 2014, is expected to further improve the quality and timeliness of data, producing more than 50 times the information provided by the current systems. This will include a wider variety of unique observations of the environment, with particular emphasis on hazardous weather, and will be able to provide tropical storm-scale regional observations every 2.5 minutes.

spacer
spacer spacer



Image credit: NOAA/National Hurricane Center
spacer



Example of Proposed new Storm Surge and Hurricane Warnings
spacer
spacer spacer spacer spacer