Special issue  

This special issue focuses on landslide early warning systems (LEWSs) at both regional and local scale, with specific reference to landslides induced by rainfall and/or snowmelt. LEWSs at regional scale are used to assess the probability of landslide occurrence over a priori-defined warning zones, typically through forecasting and monitoring of meteorological variables, in order to give generalized warnings to communities and institutions working with hazard mitigation measures. Conversely, the main aim of LEWSs at a local scale is the temporary evacuation of people from areas where, at specific times, the risk level to which they are exposed can become intolerably high. The structure of LEWSs can be schematized as an interrelation of both technical and social components. The definition of these components and the aims of the alert issued may vary as a function of the scale at which the system is employed.

The special issue wishes to highlight approaches and developments regarding correlation laws, monitoring systems, models for issuing different warning levels, landslide and warning databases, landslide forecasting, weather prediction models, emergency phases, communication strategies, performance analysis of the warnings issued, and other activities necessary for designing and operating LEWSs. We expect contributions addressing the following topics:

• operational and prototype landslide early warning systems at regional and local scale;
• correlation models for early warning purposes;
• landslide forecasting and warning models;
• performance analysis of landslide warning models;
• landslide risk management;
• landslide risk perception.

The special issue will be open to every submission within its scope.