1. Satellite precipitation estimates and the CAFFG system By Rosario Alfaro

2. CAMI (Central American Mitch Initiative) No radar over the region and few gauges in real time GOES Satellite Data and the RAMSDIS system (Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama) Precipitation estimates from the Hydro- Estimator (running in a server in Costa Rica) CAFFG (Central American Flash Flood Guidance) system

3. Developed by the Hydrological Research Center in San Diego whose Director is Dr. Kosta Georgakakos It works automatically. Produce Different products at different times The input data in real time: satellite precipitation estimates and temperature. It also use historical data of precipitation, humidity, evapotranspiration and temperature Main computational components of the system: the soil moisture model and the FFG model

4. CAFFG (continues) Consist of the processing and the dissemination servers both located in the National Meteorological Institute of Costa Rica. The products are available approximately 30 minutes after each hour. The dissemination server has the web page where the products are. The interpretation of the products needs training. The validation is an on going process at this time

5. The web page (https://cds.imn.ac.cr)

9. Flash Flood Guidance:actual rainfall of given duration that is just enough to cause bankfull flows in small streams It is calculated at 00, 06, 12 and 18 UTC for 1, 3 and 6 hrs It is not calculated for basins whose area is greater than 2000 km 2

10. Other products: ArcView tables Basin ID 01MAP2004102602 03MAP2004102600 06MAP2004102600 24MAP2004102600 06ASM2004102600 01FFG2004102600 03FFG2004102600 06FFG2004102600

11. Errors Precipitation Soil FFG Forecast

12. Final result Warnings for flooding in small basins of the Central American region

13. flooding Case in Panama

14. Case in Costa Rica flooding

15. Case in El salvador flooding

16. FIN END