The aim of this project is to provide daily updated information on snow covered areas in support to WFP Logistics. The information provided enables the Road Accessibility Analysis which is required to ensure route optimization in humanitarian aids delivery. This is achieved through the implementation of a cost-free automated process based on MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) satellite data.

The project output is a daily updated webgis for the monitoring of snow coverage in particular areas of interest and a service on request for other areas (the expected map scale is 1:1.000.000). The webgis displays a synthesis of MODIS Snow covered satellite data. The service on request can provide snow vector data in near in real-time, referring to snow coverage information generally updated 24 hours before the request. Furthermore, a metadata file containing information over the reference time-period is provided too.

The method consists mainly in MODIS data processing. This kind of satellite data is free of charge and produces a daily overview of the earth surface with the purpose of extracting snow coverage data. In order to gather information regarding the snow coverage, it is necessary to implement a mechanism that automatically performs the following operations:

• Images selection from archive, depending on required date and area of interest;
• Geometric correction, geo-referencing and resizing;
• Elaboration of the synthesis (monitoring service on the areas of interest);
• Elaboration of snow coverage vector information;
• Webgis updating.

A planned development of the described project is integrating it into a global geodatabase (SDI). This will allow an easy and rapid detection and management of the cartographic data necessary for an early warning impact task. Applications based on MODIS data can be developed in order to create further updated cartographic data for logistics management.