Weather expert urges enhancements in tracking and predicting techniques
Karsten Schwanke, a meteorologist, urges for advancements in measurement and forecasting technology during a recent incident at the "112 Rescue" trade fair in Dortmund. He highlighted how past flood events, such as those in South Germany and the Saarland, left many automated forecasts incapable of handling the intense rains.
During the fair, which focused on rescue services and disaster management, Schwanke emphasized the mounting challenges from extreme weather events. Not only have there been more temperature records and heavy rain events, but this trend is expected to persist, he explained. "We need to be better prepared for these scenarios," he asserted.
Currently, weather models effectively forecast the heavy rainfall in specific regions like South Germany. However, there is a deficiency in understanding how the expected precipitation will affect the area. Questions such as "What will the flood waves reach? Where will the flooding occur? How high will the water rise in certain locations?" require significant improvement in mathematical models, according to Schwanke. "Once we delve into smaller water bodies, we are still caught off guard by what can happen," he added.
Even in the event of a major emergency, rescue services might lack the necessary data.
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Karsten Schwanke, a German meteorologist, advocated for improvements in prediction systems after witnessing how heavy rain events in South Germany and the Saarland overwhelmed previous forecasts. He suggested that measuring tools and mathematical models need to be enhanced to better predict flood waves, flooding locations, and water levels in specific areas. Despite advancements in forecasting heavy rainfall in certain regions, Schwanke noted that rescue services often lack necessary data during major emergencies.
