SAFARI 2000 FEWS 10-day Rainfall Estimate, 8-Km, 1999-2001

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Famine Early Warning System (FEWS) has been supporting the production of 10-day Rainfall Estimate (RFE) data for Africa since 1995. The FEWSNET project was established with the goal of reducing the incidence of drought- or flood-induced famine by providing decision makers with timely and accurate information on conditions that may require intervention. RFE data for continental Africa for 1999, 2000, and 2001 were downloaded the from the African Data Dissemination Service (ADDS) site at [edcsnw4.cr.usgs.gov/adds/index.php], and were subset for southern Africa by the SAFARI 2000 data group.

The RFE 1.0 algorithm, implemented from 1995 to 2000, uses an interpolation method to combine Meteosat and Global Telecommunication System (GTS) data, and warm cloud information for the 10-day estimations. The 30-minute geostationary Meteosat-7 satellite infrared data are used to estimate convective rainfall from areas where cloud top temperatures are less than 235K. The RFE 2.0 algorithm, implemented as of January 1, 2001, uses additional techniques to better estimate precipitation while continuing the use of cold cloud duration and station rainfall data.