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Abstract:
The rise of early warning systems is enabling proactive responses to natural hazards such as floods. However, such systems could have restricted user access, limited geographical coverage, and either minimal or absent predictions in areas with few observations. In the case of flooding, the costliest natural hazard, this may translate into issues such as a lack of insight into the hydrological situation in poorly gauged areas, and downstream regions having limited information on upstream river conditions. The Global Flood Awareness System (GloFAS) addresses these issues by providing a global hydrological forecast and monitoring system that produces forecasts even in poorly gauged areas, and is open access and transboundary. Fully operational as part of the European Union's Copernicus Emergency Management Service since 2018, the system provides flood forecasts up to 30 days lead time and monthly seasonal streamflow outlooks via the GloFAS online map viewer. Complementary information on forecast skill and hydrological model performance is also made available to aid users’ interpretation and understanding of forecast quality, alongside regional flood impact assessment estimates. Here, we give an overview of the GloFAS forecasting system and the available products, including an introduction to the GloFAS map viewer products. Lastly, we also present the GloFAS data made available on the Copernicus Climate Data Store, which alongside the forecasts includes sub-seasonal and seasonal reforecasts and a reanalysis dataset covering over 40 years. We also present our recently created training material to help users access and explore the GloFAS data from the Climate Data Store.
