Case studies
Meteorological-hydrological event analysis
Extreme floods in Libya and Central Greece
In September 2023, a destructive Mediterranean cyclone caused severe storms in the eastern Mediterranean regions. It first hit Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey bringing heavy rain causing extensive flooding and casualties. In the following days it intensified, moving towards the Libyan coast where two dams collapsed resulting in flooding that caused thousands of deaths.Read more
Active precipitation zone during September 2022 in Belgium
An active precipitation zone associated with frontal activity around a low-pressure system moving north of Belgium is analyzed by using weather radar and H SAF precipitation products. The main characteristic of the precipitation event was a large number of intense showers that affected the country on September 8 and 9, 2022.Download the document
Pakistan's devastating 2022 floods
More than 1700 people were killed, 33 million affected, and more than two million homes were damaged or destroyed. It was one of the costliest natural disasters ever recorded. Communities in affected regions continue to face humanitarian emergencies. Comments by the Remote Sensing Expert, Dr. Wolfgang Wagner.Read more
Severe flooding in Nigeria
In October 2022, flooding in the country’s south submerged homes and farmland, and displaced hundreds of thousands of people. After prolonged and intense rains, widespread flooding affected 27 out of the 36 Nigerian states, inundating houses and streets. Transport was affected for at least two weeks, and food and fuel supplies blocked. More than 500 casualties were reported.Read more
Heavy rain and flooding event on 12-12-2021 in South Bulgaria
Assessment of 24h accumulated values of heavy rain in South Bulgaria through comparison between satellite products and measured data.Download the document
Mesoscale Convective System (MSC) over central Italy
On 8 September 2022 a Mesoscale Convective System (MCS) hit three regions of central Italy.Read more
South Africa Flood (11-13 April 2022)
The city of Durban, in South Africa, is particularly Vulnerable to heavy rainfall; in the coastal area, in the first 13 days of April 2022, almost 200mm of cumulative rainfall were reached.Download the document
Mediterranean cyclone 2021
Event report 24-29 October 2021, over Sicily (South Italy).Download the document
Devastating floods in western Europe
A slow moving upper-level low brought devastating floods to parts of north west Germany and other parts of western Europe in July 2021.Read more
Long-term studies on climate impact
Snow-drought conditions in early 2023 seen from H-SAF satellites
Winter 2022-2023 was characterized by yet again dry and warm conditions across several regions of Europe. Through the newly established snow-drought observatory from satellites within the drought working group of the H SAF initiative, we document significant deficit in snow cover, patchy snow conditions, and a late start of the season in early 2023 across Mediterranean Europe.Read more
H05 - Raingauge 10-years precipitation normals for estimation dry/wet periods over Slovakia and central European region (July 2012 - June 2022)
A record of 10-year accumulated H SAF precipitation data in comparison with data of a raingauge network from the period 2012-2022 on a monthly basis is used to evaluate precipitation anomalies over Slovak territory according DRY/NORMAL/WET rain characteristics.Download the document
European drought of summer 2022
H SAF precipitation and soil moisture products capture drought conditions over Europe during the summer of 2022.Download the document
Monsoon floods in Pakistan
Since the beginning of June, Pakistan has seen major flooding associated with the 2022 monsoon.Read more
2021-2022 snow deficit in Italy leads to serious drought
Between fall 2021 and winter 2022, Italy experienced a very dry and warm period, which led to a significant negative anomaly in snow accumulation.Download the document
Case study: Northern Italy drought (Jan-Apr 2022)
In the hydrological year 2021-2022 northern Italy has experienced a very dry period, in terms of both liquid and solid precipitation, and also 2021 was a moderately dry year.The impact of water scarcity is evident in the different compartments (soil, rivers, reservoirs).
Download the document