Hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons are among the most destructive natural hazards on the planet, causing frequent and recurrent devastation worldwide. Despite advances in meteorology, providing accurate and reliable predictions of water levels and flood inundation extents remains a critical challenge at the operational level. These early warning systems are vital for saving lives, yet they often lack the precise, real-time data needed to anticipate the true scale of a storm’s impact on a coastline.
Former IDIA Pre-Doctoral Fellow Soelem Aafnan Bhuiyan is working to close this critical data gap. His research looks to the stars to protect our shores, specifically leveraging the NASA Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission.
Launched in late 2022, the SWOT mission provides unprecedented, high-resolution observations of sea water levels. Soelem’s work is testing a game-changing hypothesis: by assimilating these advanced SWOT data products directly into existing storm surge models, we can radically improve the estimation of storm surge dynamics and the accuracy of operational forecasting.
This research represents a fundamental transformation in our ability to predict flooding from tropical storms. By advancing our understanding of these complex coastal processes, Soelem’s project moves beyond basic weather forecasting to directly build the resilience of our coastal infrastructure and local economies.
Ultimately, this integration of next-generation satellite data promotes the long-term security, prosperity, and well-being of vulnerable coastal populations, ensuring that when the next storm hits, communities are armed with the precise knowledge they need to stay safe.
Meet the Researcher: Soelem Aafnan Bhuiyan is a researcher dedicated to improving operational forecasting and climate resilience by integrating advanced satellite observations into complex storm surge models.
