Integrated hydrometeorological predictions with the fully-coupled WRF-Hydro modeling system 
in western North America

Prediction of heavy rainfall and associated streamflow responses remain as critical 
hydrometeorological challenges and require improved understanding of the linkages between 
atmospheric and land surface processes.  Streamflow prediction skill is intrinsically liked 
to quantitative precipitation forecast skill, which emphasizes the need to produce 
mesoscale predictions of rainfall of high fidelity. However, in many cases land surface 
parameters can also exert significant control on the runoff response to heavy rainfall and 
on the formation or localization of heavy rainfall as well. A new generation of integrated 
atmospheric-hydrologic modeling systems is emerging from different groups around the world 
to meet the challenge of integrated water cycle predictions.  In this talk the community 
WRF-Hydro modeling system will be presented.  After a brief reviewing the architectural 
features of the WRF-Hydro system short-term forecasting and regional hydroclimate 
prediction applications of the model from western North America will be presented.  In 
these applications, analyses will present results from observation-validated prediction 
experiments where atmospheric and terrestrial hydrologic model components are run in both a 
fully coupled mode and separately without two-way interactions.  Emphasis will be placed on 
discussing some of the results and modeling uncertainties found in simulating the 
catastrophic flooding of Sept. 2013 in Colorado.  Other examples of larger scale and longer 
term applications will also be presented.