A daily 25km short-latency rainfall product for data-scarce regions based on the integration of the Global Precipitation Measurement mission rainfall and multiple-satellite soil moisture products

Rain gauges are unevenly spaced around the world with extremely low gauge density over developing countries. For instance, in some regions in Africa the gauge density is often less than one station per 10 000 km(2). The availability of rainfall data provided by gauges is also not always guaranteed in near real time or with a timeliness suited for agricultural and water resource management applications, as gauges are also subject to malfunctions and regulations imposed by national authorities. A potential alternative is satellite-based rainfall estimates, yet comparisons with in situ data suggest they are often not optimal.