Improving the predictive accuracy of extreme weather events, including linear precipitation systems, is an urgent challenge. Achieving this goal requires highly accurate observations of water vapor in the lower atmosphere, which plays a crucial role in these phenomena. However, water vapor is one of the most highly variable components of the atmosphere, making it difficult to observe. A variety of observational techniques have been developed and are currently in use, including remote sensing with visible light, microwaves, and terrestrial digital radio waves, but none of these methods is perfect. It is therefore essential to quantitatively understand the strengths and limitations of each technique and to use them in a complementary manner.
The SHIMERI‑SKY (Sensing Hub for Integrated Moisture and Extreme‑Rainfall Insight in the SKY) project provides a widely open forum for scientific discussion, with a focus on advancing observation technologies for water vapor in the lower troposphere. The project aims to make a significant contribution to a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying extreme weather events — particularly linear precipitation systems — that have occurred with increasing frequency during exceptionally hot summers in recent years.
