Monitoring Water and Cryosphere in Central Asia: MODSNOW Online Platform (www.modsnow.online).
Water is a vital resource for the socio-economic prosperity of Central Asia. Seasonal snow accumulation in the high mountain areas of the region is the main driver of river flow for the Amu Darya, Syr Darya, Zerafshan and other rivers that support millions of people downstream. Despite this importance, the region has historically faced challenges in the availability of data for water monitoring and accurate forecasting of water volumes.
MODSNOW, an operational cryosphere and water monitoring tool, has been serving the region for over a decade. The National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) of all Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – along with other relevant organizations, use the tool to improve hydrological forecasting and snow cover monitoring. Recently, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) of Nepal and the Pakistan Meteorological Department, as well as the Flood Forecasting Unit in Lahore, have joined the growing community of MODSNOW users.

In response to the growing demand for MODSNOW data, both for operational purposes and for research (which has resulted in over 20 scientific publications), we are launching the MODSNOW online platform (www.modsnow.online). This platform is designed to meet the needs of organizations and individuals seeking to enhance their knowledge of cryospheric dynamics, hydrology, and water resources management in Central and South Asia. MODSNOW module I is currently online, with more modules to come.