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Soil state and surface hydrology diagnosis based on MOSES in the Met Office Nimrod nowcasting system

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 May 2006

R. N. B. Smith
Affiliation:
Met Office, Joint Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Research, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, United Kingdom
E. M. Blyth
Affiliation:
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Joint Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Research, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, United Kingdom
J. W. Finch
Affiliation:
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Joint Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Research, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, United Kingdom
S. Goodchild
Affiliation:
Met Office, FitzRoy Road, Exeter, EX1 3PB, United Kingdom Email: Roderick.Smith@metoffice.gov.uk
R. L. Hall
Affiliation:
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Joint Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Research, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, United Kingdom
S. Madry
Affiliation:
Met Office, Joint Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Research, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, United Kingdom
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Abstract

A system has been developed and made operational at the Met Office for the real-time diagnosis of soil state and surface hydrology. It is based on the Met Office Surface Exchanges Scheme (MOSES) modified to take account of unresolved soil and topographic heterogeneity when calculating surface runoff by incorporating a Probability Distributed Moisture (PDM) scheme developed by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. The implementation of MOSES-PDM in the Met Office's Nimrod nowcasting system is described. High resolution soil characteristics and land cover data, together with Nimrod's analyses of precipitation amount and type, cloud cover and near-surface atmospheric variables are used to drive MOSES-PDM. Hourly values of snowmelt, runoff, net surface radiation, evaporation, potential evaporation, soil temperature, soil moisture and soil moisture deficit are calculated on a 5 km grid.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2006 Royal Meteorological Society

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