BalkanMed real time severe weather service: Progress and prospects in Bulgaria

Abstract

The main objective of the “BalkanMed real time severe weather service” (BeRTISS, 2017–2019) project is to establish a pilot transnational severe weather service by exploiting Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) tropospheric products to enhance the safety, the quality of life and environmental protection in the Balkan-Mediterranean region. In Bulgaria, severe weather events, like intense precipitation, hail and thunderstorms, are common in the summer months and are associated with large economic losses for example in agriculture. The Bulgarian Hail Suppression Agency and the Sofia University are partners in the BeRTISS project with final aim to develop the Bulgarian Integrated NowCAsting tool (BINCA). BINCA uses data from the recently deployed ground-based GNSS network of 12 stations in Bulgaria. The GNSS data is delivered to Sofia University GNSS Analysis Center (SUGAC) and processed in near real time. To derive GNSS Integrated Water Vapour from GNSS the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model is computed on daily basis. The GNSS IWV, weather radar as well as surface atmospheric observations and WRF model simulations covering Bulgaria are integrated in the BINCA web platform. The platform is publicly accessible and facilitates the operational tasks in hail suppression in Bulgaria but also other operational and public services. This manuscripts presents the BeRTISS service elements and their implementation in Bulgaria.