HIWAT: Probabilistic Weather Forecasts for the Hindu Kush Himalayan Region

Nepal, Bangladesh, and northeast India are covered by 54-hour probabilistic forecasts for high-impact weather events. The High Impact Weather Assessment Toolkit (HIWAT) uses ensemble model forecasts and satellite data from the Global Precipitation Measurement constellation. The dataset files are available from April 2, 2017, through October 2, 2022, produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Use Cases

• Predicting lightning strike probability based on ensemble model forecasts
• Assessing risk of high-impact winds using probabilistic outlooks
• Estimating hail damage potential based on forecasted weather events
• Identifying damage scars from storms using Landsat/MODIS imagery mentioned in the description
• Constraining forecast uncertainties for improved decision-making based on the suite of ensemble models

Strengths

• Provides a 54-hour forecast horizon for improved planning
• Uses a suite of ensemble models to constrain uncertainties
• Covers a specific geographic region (Nepal, Bangladesh, northeast India)
• Data files are available for over five years (April 2017 to October 2022)

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the specific Hindu Kush Himalayan region

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Likely generated from a mesoscale numerical weather prediction model and satellite data from the Global Precipitation Measurement constellation.

Time Range

April 2, 2017 through October 2, 2022

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 01:41:57.418289; freshness should be verified

Geography

Nepal, Bangladesh, and parts of northeast India (the Hindu Kush Himalayan region)