Picture: Satellite over the coast. Credit: Spacex

Data sharing between countries is restricted when it comes to the exchange of extremes-relevant data often due to concerns around the sovereignty of data and commercialisation.

So-called ‘indices’ derived from daily and sub-daily data that measure aspects of precipitation frequency, duration and intensity of extremes could be used as they have far fewer data exchange issues.

This study outlines the history of the rationale and use of these indices, the types of indices that are frequently used and the advantages and pitfalls in analysing them.

Our conclusions promote the use of satellite precipitation products moving forward to help supplement existing products using longer-term in situ gauge records. However, we suggest that to advance this area differences between data products, limitations in satellite-based estimation processes, and the inherent challenges of scale need to be better understood.

  • Paper: Alexander, Lisa V., Hayley J. Fowler, Margot Bador, Ali Behrangi, Markus G. Donat, Robert Dunn, Chris Funk, et al. “On the Use of Indices to Study Extreme Precipitation on Sub-Daily and Daily Timescales.” Environmental Research Letters 14, no. 12 (December 2019): 125008. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab51b6.