An evaluation of the potential use of satellite rainfall data for input to water resource estimation models in southern Africa

Global or near global satellite rainfall data are becoming readily available and have the potential to provide the rainfall data inputs required for water resource availability modelling in the face of shrinking ground-based networks. However, the difficulties of using both sets of rainfall data in models with existing calibrations based on raingauge data are not well understood. An assessment using three basins in southern Africa yielded mixed results. There is clearly a need for some “corrections” to be applied to the satellite data to achieve consistency with the gauged rainfall information, but it is not usually clear what form these “corrections” should take. It is important to note that in some areas there are very few gauges currently available and the satellite data represent a viable substitute.