Concept and Importance of Hydrometeorology PDF

CONCEPT AND DEFINITION OF HYDROMETEOROLOGY LESSON 1  at the end of this lesson, you should be able to: ✓define hydrometeorology and distinguish it from other related sciences; OB...

CONCEPT AND DEFINITION OF HYDROMETEOROLOGY LESSON 1  at the end of this lesson, you should be able to: ✓define hydrometeorology and distinguish it from other related sciences; OBJECTIVES ✓ Describe what hydro meteorologists do; and ✓discuss the importance and applications of hydrometeorology. 9/3/2023 2 DEFINITIONS ✓ Hydrometeorology is a branch of meteorology that deals with problems involving the hydrologic cycle, the water budget, and the rainfall statistics of storms. ✓ The boundaries of hydrometeorology are not clear-cut, and the problems of the hydrometeorologist overlap with those of the climatologist, the hydrologist, the cloud physicist, and the weather forecaster. Considerable emphasis is placed on theoretically or empirically determining the relationships between meteorological variables and the maximum precipitation reaching the ground. 8/5/2023 3 DEFINITIONS ✓Hydrometeorology is a branch of meteorology and hydrology that studies the transfer of water and energy between the land surface and the lower atmosphere. ✓Hydrologists often utilize meteorologists and data provided by meteorologists. As an example, a meteorologist might forecast 2–3 inches (51–76 mm) of rain in a specific area, and a hydrologist might then forecast what the specific impact of that rain would be on the local terrain. 8/5/2023 4 DEFINITIONS ✓Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere, atmospheric phenomena, and atmospheric effects on our weather. ✓The atmosphere is the gaseous layer of the physical environment that surrounds a planet. Earth’s atmosphere is roughly 100 to 125 kilometers (65-75 miles) thick. Gravity keeps the atmosphere from expanding much farther. 8/5/2023 5 DEFINITIONS ✓Meteorology is the scientific study of the atmosphere that focuses on weather processes and forecasting. ✓Meteorological phenomena are observable weather events that illuminate and are explained by the science of meteorology. ✓Those events are bound by the variables that exist in Earth's atmosphere. They are temperature, pressure, water vapor, and the gradients and interactions of each variable, and how they change in time. ✓The majority of Earth's observed weather is located in the troposphere. ✓Although meteorologists now rely heavily on computer models (numerical weather prediction), it is still relatively common to use techniques and conceptual models that were developed before computers were powerful enough to make predictions accurately or efficiently. 8/5/2023 6 DEFINITIONS 8/5/2023 7 DEFINITIONS 8/5/2023 8 DEFINITIONS The diagram shows the delineation of hydrometeorology with the other branches of hydrology. 8/5/2023 9 DEFINITIONS ✓HYDROLOGISTS mainly study the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth (but could also be on other planets). They are interested in the water cycle, the space-time availability and quality of water resources, and environmental watershed sustainability. They collect and analyze data to help solve water-related problems such as environmental preservation, natural disasters, and water management. 8/5/2023 10 DEFINITIONS ✓ATMOSPHERIC SCIENTISTS mainly study the Earth's atmosphere (mainly the troposphere) with a focus on understanding and forecasting the processes that give rise to our weather. ✓Important variables include temperature, pressure, water vapor, and the gradients and interactions of each variable, and how they change in time. Although meteorologists now rely heavily on computer models (numerical weather prediction), it is still relatively common to use techniques and conceptual models that were developed before computers were powerful enough to make predictions accurately or efficiently. 8/5/2023 11 DEFINITIONS ✓HYDROMETEOROLOGISTS mainly study both the atmospheric and terrestrial phases of the hydrological cycle, with emphasis on the interrelationship between them (i.e. the transfers of water and energy between the land surface and the lower atmosphere). Accordingly, the science of hydrometeorology bridges across both hydrology and meteorology. ✓For example, hydrometeorologists are interested in the study of natural hazards of hydrometeorological origin and the mitigation of their effects. Among these hazards are the results of natural processes or phenomena of atmospheric, hydrological, or oceanographic nature, such as floods, tropical cyclones, drought, and desertification, and the potential impacts of land-cover change and changing climate. 8/5/2023 12 DEFINITIONS ✓HYDROMETEOROLOGISTS mainly study both the atmospheric and terrestrial phases… ✓Major and important processes of interest to hydrometeorologists are precipitation and evapotranspiration, and also how the land surface partitions energy into different components (sensible, latent, ground heat flux) and how this then affects the overlying atmosphere. 8/5/2023 13 IMPORTANCE AND APPLICATIONS ✓The analyses performed in hydrometeorology often serve as the basis for the design of flood-control and water-usage structures, primarily dams and reservoirs. ✓Other concerns of hydrometeorologists include the determination of rainfall probabilities, the space and time distribution of rainfall and evaporation, the recurrence interval of major storms, snow melt and runoff, and probable wind tides and waves in reservoirs. ✓The whole field of water quality and supply is of growing importance in hydrometeorology. 8/5/2023 14 IMPORTANCE AND APPLICATIONS 8/5/2023 15