Multisource Remote Sensing-based Precipitation Estimation over the UAE
Given its predominantly arid climate, the Arabian Peninsula (AP) is considered a regional water stress hotspot, amplified by the rising demands associated with its rapid urbanization and population growth. The scarcity of renewable water resources across the AP requires improved monitoring of available precipitation and terrestrial water storage to quantify water budget deficits and implement targeted water resource management strategies. However, accurate and timely monitoring of precipitation remains a challenge, particularly in arid regions such as the AP, characterized by sparse ground-based observational networks and complex land-atmosphere dynamics. This webinar will present an overview on remote sensing-based monitoring of precipitation, challenges and targeted solutions for improved monitoring over the UAE and the larger AP region.
Speaker
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Dr. Youssef WehbeProgram Officer – UAEREP at National Center of Meteorology (NCM)Dr. Youssef Wehbe is a Project Officer for the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science. His expertise includes water resource management, coupled land-atmosphere modeling, cloud microphysics, and weather modification technology. His ongoing research addresses next-generation water resource monitoring by integrating satellite and radar remote sensing, hydro-meteorological modeling, and relevant applications of AI/machine learning tools. He was a crew member in a flight campaign under the NASA Airborne Science Program to gather aerosol and cloud microphysical measurements over the eastern UAE. Youssef led several studies on water resources in MENA region, including developing machine learning-based calibrations for satellite-inferred rainfall estimates, coupling land and atmospheric prediction models, and mapping groundwater recharge and migration paths.