Publication

NowPrecip 2: Precipitation nowcasting in the complex terrain of Switzerland. Part I: Methods

2026

Abstract

NowPrecip is a real‐time probabilistic precipitation areal nowcasting system, which has been operational in MeteoSwiss since 2020. The original version, NowPrecip 1, centered on a localization architecture that was capable of capturing and replicating the orographic precipitation behavior in the complex terrain of Switzerland. A new version, NowPrecip 2, has been constructed, which introduces a number of innovations and a new flow design. The two methods naturally share characteristics, but they are technically distinct. In this article, the algorithms of the NowPrecip 2 are described in detail, especially improvements on the optical flow, innovative methods of determining intensity‐based growth and decay profiles, temporal disaggregation techniques, and so on. The algorithms presented are straightforward in a programming sense and could potentially inspire enhancements in other nowcasting applications too. While this article is dedicated to the methodology, a companion article of this series provides full verification results of this effort.

Official source

https://infoscience.epfl.ch/entities/publication/07e6fe4f-9b5a-4898-9395-533623b3e8b6

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2026

Abstract

Official source

https://infoscience.epfl.ch/entities/publication/07e6fe4f-9b5a-4898-9395-533623b3e8b6

About this result

Related concepts (21)

Terrain

Terrain or relief (also topographical relief) involves the vertical and horizontal dimensions of land surface. The term bathymetry is used to describe underwater relief, while hypsometry studies terrain relative to sea level. The Latin word terra (the root of terrain) means "earth." In physical geography, terrain is the lay of the land. This is usually expressed in terms of the elevation, slope, and orientation of terrain features. Terrain affects surface water flow and distribution.

Geomorphometry

Geomorphometry, or geomorphometrics (gê + morphḗ + métron), is the science and practice of measuring the characteristics of terrain, the shape of the surface of the Earth, and the effects of this surface form on human and natural geography. It gathers various mathematical, statistical and image processing techniques that can be used to quantify morphological, hydrological, ecological and other aspects of a land surface. Common synonyms for geomorphometry are geomorphological analysis (after geomorphology), terrain morphometry, terrain analysis, and land surface analysis.

Technical geography

Technical geography is the branch of geography that involves using, studying, and creating tools to obtain, analyze, interpret, understand, and communicate spatial information. The other branches, most commonly limited to human geography and physical geography, can usually apply the concepts and techniques of technical geography. However, the methods and theory are distinct, and a technical geographer may be more concerned with the technological and theoretical concepts than the nature of the data.