Hydro Products Overview
Snow Cover Extent
Definition
The Snow Cover Extent (SCE) is a binary map of where the land is (and is not) covered by snow.
Map
How is it created?
The maps are created through data fusion with machine learning. The data are derived from a collection of optical and radar satellites, as well as weather reanalysis data and numerical weather predictions.
Specifications
Temporal Resolution
Spatial Resolution
Time Lag
Units
Data Format
Aggregation Option
Daily
20m
1 day between acquisition and data delivery
Binary (0 or 1)
NetCDF or GeoTIFF
Can be aggregated to km2 of coverage and stored in a CSV
Snow Height
Definition
Snow Height (HS) describes the height of the snowpack above the ground in meters. It is sometimes referred to as snow depth. The snow height map gives an idea of the spatial distribution of snow from zero at the snow line to the maximum snow depth on the mountain tops, wind-exposed areas where snow has been eroded and deposition zones where larger amounts of snow are accumulated.
Map
How is it created?
We create snow height maps with our machine learning algorithms, combining radar satellite images, terrain data and in-situ observations from snow measurement stations in the area. This data-fusion approach enables to maximise spatial and temporal coverage.
Specifications
Temporal Resolution
Spatial Resolution
Time Lag
Units
Data Format
Aggregation Option
Daily
100m (higher resolution available upon request)
1 day between acquisition and data delivery
m
NetCDF or GeoTIFF
Can be aggregated to km2 of coverage and stored in a CSV
For our solar PV-positioning product we generate historical snow height maps at even higher resolution. Read more on our solar product Wegaw4Solar.
Snow Water Equivalent
Definition
Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) refers to the amount of water stored in the snow that is potentially available to melt. It is often given in cm water column and can be calculated as the snow height multiplied by its density. Snow compresses over time and changes its morphology through temperature and radiation-induced mass-transfer within the snowpack. The snowpack is therefore composed of several layers of varying density that accumulate over the winter season, resulting in a unique density profile depending on location and time.
Map
How is it created?
To generate maps of SWE we use a customised empirical snow density model which is combined with our high-resolution snow height maps. The model takes our high-resolution snow height as input and models the compression of individual snow layers over time, enabling temporally-aware SWE estimations.
Specifications
Temporal Resolution
Spatial Resolution
Time Lag
Units
Data Format
Aggregation Option
Daily
100m
1 day between acquisition and data delivery
cm
NetCDF or GeoTIFF
Can be aggregated to km2 of coverage and stored in a CSV
Applications of SWE maps
SWE is a particularly interesting variable for hydrological applications. Snow is an important storage entity in the water cycle (next to e.g. groundwater) and knowing how much water is contained in the snowpack enables us to estimate how much water will become available through melt. SWE can be integrated into hydrological forecast models that generate predictions of inflow to hydropower reservoirs and river discharge. Since water in snow is usually mobilised months after the snowfall, SWE is mostly interesting for long-term forecasts of several months in advance helping decision making and long term energy trading.
Melting Snow
Definition
The Melting Snow (MS) data is a binary map of where the water content of the snow is close to or above saturation. This is an indicator of which sections of the snowpack are likely to soon be released as snowmelt.
Map
How is it created?
This product is developed through processing spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar data with machine learning algorithms. The radar signal penetrates the snowpack and the changes in the signal that is returned to the satellite are analysed to determine the relative water content of the snow.
Specifications
Temporal Resolution
Spatial Resolution
Time Lag
Units
Data Format
Aggregation Option
10 days
20m
1 day between acquisition and data delivery
Binary (0 or 1)
NetCDF or GeoTIFF
Can be aggregated to km2 of coverage and stored in a CSV
Soil Water Content
Definition
Soil Water Content (SWC) is the amount of water stored in the upper layers of soil and is given as water volume per cubic meter of soil. This information can be separated into layers in the soil, or provided as a bulk statistic.
Graph
How is it created?
To generate SWC maps at different soil depths, radar satellite imagery is analysed and SWC is derived from the observed change in backscattering.
Specifications
Temporal Resolution
Spatial Resolution
Time Lag
Units
Data Format
Aggregation Option
Hourly
20m
1 day between acquisition and data delivery
m3 water / m3 soil
NetCDF or GeoTIFF
Can be aggregated to km2 of coverage and stored in a CSV
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