Weather intelligence specialist Baron Weather has developed a high-resolution, flash flood risk solution that identifies the risk of flash flooding as much as two hours in advance and provides notices to mitigate damage and prevent the potential loss of life.
Baron’s flash flood risk system uses existing radar data and several Baron meteorological products along with advances in extreme event statistical assessment to measure the threat of flash flooding within two hours’ time.
The radar data, which is used to forecast the future, integrates historical information on land surface characteristics such as soil moisture and runoff. Recent rainfall rates and short-term modeling are also used to determine the impact on the land surface itself to gauge flood risk.
“The variables that lead to a flash flood event are always unique,” said Bob Dreisewerd, CEO of Baron Weather. “Preparing for a sudden weather emergency, such as a flash flood, requires a multi-faceted approach. Baron’s technology for identifying flash flooding in advance cuts through the noise when critical decisions need to be made quickly.”
Baron has an extensive catalog of weather data including data sets that facilitate the detection and dissemination of impactful weather hazards. It also has a long history of hydrological analysis and is a partner in the newly formed Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology (CIROH) program funded by NOAA. The new flash flood risk guidance is available for display as a layer in ESRI platforms and integration into software applications via an easy-to-use API.