Evaluation of multiple climate data sources for managing environmental resources in East Africa

Gebrechorkos, Solomon Hailu; Hülsmann, Stephan; Bernhofer, Christian

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-4547-2018

Articles | Volume 22, issue 8

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-4547-2018

© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-4547-2018

© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 22, issue 8

Research article

|

28 Aug 2018

Research article |

| 28 Aug 2018

Evaluation of multiple climate data sources for managing environmental resources in East Africa

Solomon Hailu Gebrechorkos, Stephan Hülsmann, and Christian Bernhofer

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-4547-2018-supplement

Data sets

Africa Rainfall Climatology version 2 (ARC2) International Research Institute climate data library (IRI/LDEO) https://iridl.ldeo.columbia.edu/SOURCES/.NOAA/.NCEP/.CPC/.FEWS/.Africa/.DAILY/.ARC2/

Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS) International Research Institute climate data library (IRI/LDE) https://iridl.ldeo.columbia.edu/SOURCES/.UCSB/.CHIRPS/

Observational-Reanalysis hybrid (ORH) Terrestrial Hydrology Research Group Princeton University http://hydrology.princeton.edu/data.php

Regional Climate Models (RCMs) Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) https://esgf-index1.ceda.ac.uk/search/cmip5-ceda/

Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation (CHIRP) Climate Hazards Group (CHG) ftp://ftp.chg.ucsb.edu/pub/org/chg/products/CHIRP/daily/

Short summary

In Africa field-based meteorological data are scarce; therefore global data sources based on remote sensing and climate models are often used as alternatives. To assess their suitability for a large and topographically complex area in East Africa, we evaluated multiple climate data products with available ground station data at multiple timescales over 21 regions. The comprehensive evaluation resulted in identification of preferential data sources to be used for climate and hydrological studies.