Rationale

It is several decades since IAHS had a Commission on precipitation, or even a working group on this topic. This has had several serious drawbacks. First, the links between the precipitation community and that of hydrology at large have been hampered which, in turn, has impeded the contribution of hydrologists to precipitation research These research efforts have become unbalanced; for instance, too many recent model developments and field experiments have been driven or designed exclusively to fit with meteorological considerations. This is unfortunate because there are many pioneering hydrological techniques to analyse and simulate precipitation variability at scales much smaller than those of the most advanced meteorological models. Conversely, IAHS Commissions have missed out on a partnership which could provide access to the most advanced developments in precipitation research and technology.

Terms of Reference

The IAHS Working Group on Precipitation is established, initially for a period of four years, to facilitate the exchange of information and technology in all areas of precipitation research, including data collection, processing and analysis, modelling and simulation and theory.

This will be achieved by a variety of means, such as :
 

1. the use of webtools: a website, e-forum, links to data sets and software, etc
2. the organization of scientific sessions focussed on precipitation during IUGG General Assemblies and IAHS Scientific Assemblies,
3. the organization of short courses and topical conferences, as needed, and
4. publication of special issues of HSJ

Membership

The initial membership of the working group will be :
 

• Daniel Schertzer (ENPC, France) Chair
• Alin Carstenau (CINVESTAV, Mexico)
• Isabel de Lima (Coimbra U., Portugal)
• Shaun Lovejoy (McGill U., Canada)
• Eric Smith (NASA, USA)

Those interested to participate should get in touch with Daniel Schertzer.

Collaboration

The IAHS Precipitation WG and the IAMAS International Commission on Clouds and Precipitations decided to actively promote the collaboration between hydrologists and meteorologists, especially to better connect research in cloud physics and precipitation that reaches the ground.