| Precise precipitation measurements are required to accurately model flows by hydrological models leading towards improvement in nowcasting, a branch of meteorology which consists of short term forecasts ranging from minutes to hours.; The purpose of this thesis is to determine which radar correction product is the best at improving flow forecasting. To achieve this aim the radar measurements were evaluated and validated, by carrying out various simulations via a physically based fully distributed hydrological model WATFLOOD for various radar correction products. Mesonet rain gauges and observed streamflows were used to run comparisons between simulations corresponding to different correction products, to determine the relative strengths of each correction product by using high resolution radar rainfall data for watersheds in Eastern Ontario, Southern Quebec and parts of Northern USA.; Based on the analysis of a selection of summer precipitation events, the C3 product was found to be the best radar product with the potential to improve flood forecasting significantly in terms of total runoff and peak flow rate. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
