Significant Weather Event over Western Cape:A Cape Town Perspective

August 30th 2008 to September 01st 2008

Jaco Immelman Micky Josipovic Judd Taylor Eric Baptiste

Overview

The Western Cape endured strong wind, rain and snow on the mountains, while the wind fanned veld fires in the eastern Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2385998,00.html

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ Flooding in Kalk Bay

http://www.capetowndailyphoto.com/

Preconditions – 30/08/2008: 0600Z

DBCRAS 2008/08/30 0600Z Model Output

SEVERI 11 micron 2008/08/30 0600Z

Storm Conditions 30/08/2008: 1800Z

SEVERI Data 1800Z August 30th 2008

Measured rainfall at FACT

Storm Conditions

DBCRAS model output of total precipitation2008-08-30 1800Z

DBCRAS model output of surface wind2008-08-30 1800Z

DBCRAS model output Time Series

Storm Conditions 30 to 31 Aug

Storm Conditions 30 to 31 Aug

Storm Aftermath

http://www/skyscrappercity.com

NNNormalized Difference Snow Index

September 1st 2008 1205 UTC

Storm Aftermath

Storm Aftermath

http://www/skyscrappercity.com

http://www/skyscrappercity.com

Summary

DBCRAS model was very good in predicting the synoptic features, especially the location and amount of precipitation of this event.

MODIS Direct Broadcast data is very instrumental in the monitoring and aftermath of this event.

MODIS NDSI was able to easily identify snow on the Langeberg Mountain range outside of Cape Town.