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<article language="en">
	<journal>
		<journal_title>Natural Hazards and Earth System Science</journal_title>
		<journal_url>www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net</journal_url>
		<issn>1561-8633</issn>
		<eissn>1684-9981</eissn>
		<volume_number>8</volume_number>
		<issue_number>1</issue_number>
		<publication_year>2008</publication_year>
	</journal>
	<doi>10.5194/nhess-8-143-2008</doi>
	<article_url>http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/8/143/2008/</article_url>
	<abstract_html>http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/8/143/2008/nhess-8-143-2008.html</abstract_html>
	<fulltext_pdf>http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/8/143/2008/nhess-8-143-2008.pdf</fulltext_pdf>
	<start_page>143</start_page>
	<end_page>159</end_page>
	<publication_date>2008-02-28</publication_date>
	<article_title content_type="html">A meteo-hydrological prediction system based on a multi-model approach for precipitation forecasting</article_title>
	<authors>
		<author numeration="1" affiliations="1">
			<name>S. Davolio</name>
			<email>s.davolio@isac.cnr.it</email>
		</author>
		<author numeration="2" affiliations="2">
			<name>M. M. Miglietta</name>
		</author>
		<author numeration="3" affiliations="3,4">
			<name>T. Diomede</name>
		</author>
		<author numeration="4" affiliations="3">
			<name>C. Marsigli</name>
		</author>
		<author numeration="5" affiliations="3">
			<name>A. Morgillo</name>
		</author>
		<author numeration="6" affiliations="2">
			<name>A. Moscatello</name>
		</author>
	</authors>
	<affiliations>
		<affiliation numeration="1" content_type="html">Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, ISAC-CNR, Bologna, Italy</affiliation>
		<affiliation numeration="2" content_type="html">Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, ISAC-CNR, Lecce, Italy</affiliation>
		<affiliation numeration="3" content_type="html">Regional Hydro-Meteorological Service ARPA-SIM, Bologna, Italy</affiliation>
		<affiliation numeration="4" content_type="html">Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca in Monitoraggio Ambientale (CIMA), Università degli studi di Genova e della Basilicata, Savona, Italy</affiliation>
	</affiliations>
	<abstract content_type="html">The precipitation forecasted by a numerical weather prediction model, even
at high resolution, suffers from errors which can be considerable at the
scales of interest for hydrological purposes. In the present study, a
fraction of the uncertainty related to meteorological prediction is taken
into account by implementing a multi-model forecasting approach, aimed at
providing multiple precipitation scenarios driving the same hydrological
model. Therefore, the estimation of that uncertainty associated with the
quantitative precipitation forecast (QPF), conveyed by the multi-model
ensemble, can be exploited by the hydrological model, propagating the error
into the hydrological forecast.

&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
The proposed meteo-hydrological forecasting system is implemented and tested
in a real-time configuration for several episodes of intense precipitation
affecting the Reno river basin, a medium-sized basin located in northern
Italy (Apennines). These episodes are associated with flood events of
different intensity and are representative of different meteorological
configurations responsible for severe weather affecting northern Apennines.

&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
The simulation results show that the coupled system is promising in the
prediction of discharge peaks (both in terms of amount and timing) for
warning purposes. The ensemble hydrological forecasts provide a range of
possible flood scenarios that proved to be useful for the support of civil
protection authorities in their decision.</abstract>
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