Hydrological aspects of meteorological verification

All major weather forecast centres verify meteorological forecasts as a normal part of their operational duties, with verifications usually based on variables and methods of meteorological relevance. These forecasts are then often used to drive hydrological models, and this article demonstrates that a considerable gap exists between current meteorological practice and hydrological needs. This article discusses this gap in terms of the type of variables; the domain and resolution; the importance of choosing appropriate thresholds; and the smoothing and accumulation period. A list of recommendations for a user-focused evaluation is given in the conclusions. We suggest that the meteorological community, and specifically the forecast centres, should consider making these adjustments and producing additional products suitable for hydrological applications. Copyright (c) 2008 Royal Meteorological Society