From 1996 to 2010
If we compare the 2009/2010 Vaal Dam flood event to one that occurred in the same area in 1996, we can see how much has changed in a relatively short time.
In 1996:
- Meteorologists and forecasters relied on rainfall reports and communications with hydrological departments to understand how much rain had fallen and how the soil was reacting to it
- NWP models had much coarser temporal and spatial resolution
- Forecasters in South Africa could not overlay NWP and satellite data
In 2010:
- The range and quality of remote sensing products have improved vastly, based mainly on the upgrade from Meteosat First Generation (MFG) to Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellite imagery
- With 12 rather than 3 channels of data, MSG users have far more precise information about the atmosphere and land surface and have many more channels to manipulate and develop into multispectral products
- Many meteorological and hydrological products have been developed based on MSG imagery, including the hydro-estimator and soil moisture products; these products help today's forecasters more fully understand the factors that influence flash flooding in their regions