New article in Nature identifies global gaps in precipitation monitoring networks
A new research article in Nature by guest professor at KTH Gia Destouni and colleagues, identifies major global gaps in precipitation monitoring networks. These gaps hinder climate change impact assessment. Without more precipitation data, we cannot realistically assess the impacts of climate change on water resources, water security, and water-related disaster risks, agricultural and food security, and energy security around the world.
To be able to understand, predict and plan for variations and changes in precipitation patterns, and their impacts on water resources, droughts and floods around the world, we depend on systematic monitoring of rain and snow (precipitation) over the Earth’s land surface. An international research team studied the distribution of 221,483 precipitation gauges with global spreading and shared data within the period 1900-2022. They evaluated the geographical coverage of these gauges and whether it meets the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) guidelines for how dense monitoring networks need to be to reliably measure precipitation on land. The results show large global monitoring gaps, with WMO guidelines met in only 13% of the Earth’s land surface. The geographical coverage is highly uneven and many regions lack sufficient precipitation monitoring to detect and realistically understand and predict change trends for water resources and water-related extremes such as droughts and floods.
“Many assumptions and discussions about climate change impacts seem to assume that we know and can predict quite well how water conditions and freshwater resources on land will change with climate. This study shows that essential data and evidence are missing. A special monitoring and research focus on water is required if we are to be able to say with an acceptable degree of certainty how conditions of too much, too little and too polluted water will develop and affect societies and ecosystems around the Earth's land surface,” says Gia Destouni.
Europe has the densest monitoring networks, averaging 2.4 precipitation gauges per 1,000 km². Germany stands out with 22.4 gauges per 1,000 km², while other European regions have sparse coverage. Areas where monitoring needs to be urgently expanded for our understanding of ongoing water resource and risk changes include around 25% of the world’s land area, mainly in northern South America, northern North America, Central Africa, and southern Asia. The need for expanded precipitation monitoring is even greater for forthcoming climate and socio-economic changes. Additional areas that need to be prioritized for precipitation monitoring going forward include India, Greenland, Bolivia and China. Investment needs are high and open data availability is crucial. Without more precipitation data, we cannot realistically assess the impacts of climate change on water resources, water security, and water-related disaster risks, agricultural and food security, and energy security around the world.
