Satellite based snow monitoring capabilities have been developed in Europe over the last decade in projects such as EUMETSAT's Hydrology SAF, ESA's GMES PolarView and DUE GlobSnow, and the EC's FP7 Cryoland. Each of these has worked closely with their user communities and performed the necessary R&D to successfully implement information services addressing a broad spectrum of user needs including flood forecasting, climate research, meteorology, hydrology, water management, public risk, tourism, etc.

The aim of this workshop was to bring the major European satellite snow monitoring initiatives together with their key users, to:

• Review the current state of development of European snow monitoring capabilities,
• Identify gaps and opportunities in meeting the users' needs and securing sustainable funding for the services,
• Define priorities for developments over the next 5-10 years which build on European expertise and satellite infrastructure to achieve sustainable information services which maximize benefits to users.
• Understand how these activities fit within GMES and the EC priorities over the next decade.

The outcome of the workshop will be a "white paper" providing a consensus perspective on the future development of European satellite snow monitoring capabilities.

Summary of the workshop

• The Workshop summary lists the recommendations identified during the workshop.
  
• Workshop presentations
  
• Workshop agenda
  

Project fact sheets on Snow Monitoring Activies prepared in advance of the meeting

• GlobSnow Fact Sheet
  
  
• HSAF Fact Sheet
  
  
• CryoLand Fact Sheet
  
  
• PolarView Fact Sheet
  
  

Photo of the Participants


Organisers:

Lothar Schüller (EUMETSAT)
Simon Pinnock & Ola Grabak (ESA)
Florian Appel (ESA PolarView)
Kari Luojus (ESA GlobSnow)
Thomas Nagler (EC CryoLand)

Location: EUMETSAT premises, Darmstadt, Germany

Address:
EUMETSAT
Eumetsat Allee 1
D-64295 Darmstadt
Germany