Evaluation of a Method to Enhance Real-Time, Ground Radar–Based Rainfall Estimates Using Climatological Profiles of Reflectivity from Space

Wen, Yixin; Kirstetter, Pierre; Hong, Yang; Gourley, Jonathan J.; Cao, Qing; Zhang, Jian; Flamig, Zac; Xue, Xianwu

doi:10.1175/JHM-D-15-0062.1

Advanced Search

Select up to three search categories and corresponding keywords using the fields to the right. Refer to the Help section for more detailed instructions.

Search our Collections & Repository

Advanced Search
Custom Query

All these words:

For very narrow results

This exact word or phrase:

When looking for a specific result

Any of these words:

Best used for discovery & interchangable words

None of these words:

Recommended to be used in conjunction with other fields

Language:

Dates

Publication Date Range:

to

Document Data

Title:

Document Type:

Library

Collection:

Series:

People

Author:

Clear All

Query Builder

Query box

Clear All

For additional assistance using the Custom Query please check out our Help Page

i

Evaluation of a Method to Enhance Real-Time, Ground Radar–Based Rainfall Estimates Using Climatological Profiles of Reflectivity from Space

2016
By Wen, Yixin ; Kirstetter, Pierre ; Hong, Yang ; ...
Source: Journal of Hydrometeorology, 17(3), 761-775

[PDF-2.60 MB]

Details You May Also Like

Details:

Journal Title:

Journal of Hydrometeorology
Personal Author:

Wen, Yixin ; Kirstetter, Pierre ; Hong, Yang ; Gourley, Jonathan J. ; Cao, Qing ; ... More +

Wen, Yixin ; Kirstetter, Pierre ; Hong, Yang ; Gourley, Jonathan J. ; Cao, Qing ; Zhang, Jian ; Flamig, Zac ; Xue, Xianwu Less -
NOAA Program & Office:

OAR (Oceanic and Atmospheric Research) ; NSSL (National Severe Storms Laboratory) ; CIMMS (Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies)

OAR (Oceanic and Atmospheric Research) ; NSSL (National Severe Storms Laboratory) ; CIMMS (Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies) Less -
Description:

Over mountainous terrain, ground weather radars face limitations in monitoring surface precipitation as they are affected by radar beam blockages along with the range-dependent biases due to beam broadening and increase in altitude with range. These issues are compounded by precipitation structures that are relatively shallow and experience growth at low levels due to orographic enhancement. To improve surface precipitation estimation, researchers at the University of Oklahoma have demonstrated the benefits of integrating the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Radar (PR) products into the ground-based NEXRAD rainfall estimation system using a vertical profile of reflectivity (VPR) identification and enhancement (VPR-IE) approach. However, the temporal resolution of TRMM limits the application of VPR-IE method operationally. To implement the VPR-IE concept into the National Mosaic and Multi-Sensor QPE (NMQ) system in real time, climatological VPRs from 11 years of TRMM PR observations have been characterized for different stratiform/convective rain types, seasons, and surface rain intensities. Then, these representative profiles are used to adjust ground radar–based precipitation estimates in the NMQ system based on different precipitation structures. This study conducts a comprehensive evaluation of the newly developed climatological VPR-IE (CVPR-IE) method on winter events (January, February, and December) in 2011. The statistical analysis reveals that the CVPR-IE method provides a clear improvement over the original radar QPE in the NMQ system for the study region. Compared to physically based VPRs from real-time PR measurements, climatological VPRs have limitations in representing precipitation structure for individual events. A hybrid correction scheme incorporating both climatological and real-time VPR information is desired for better skill in the future.
Keywords:

[+]

Observational Techniques And Algorithms Precipitation Radars/Radar Observations Satellite Observations
Source:

Journal of Hydrometeorology, 17(3), 761-775
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1175/JHM-D-15-0062.1
Document Type:

Journal Article
Rights Information:

Other
Compliance:

Submitted
Main Document Checksum:

[+]

urn:sha256:89d466898ccf966f4c4cafe4bef4c902f7722b59f84f40d66253c09db79bb55e
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/32148/noaa_32148_DS1.pdf
File Type:

No Additional Files

More +

Evaluation of a Method to Enhance Real-Time, Ground Radar–Based Rainfall Estimates Using Climatological Profiles of Reflectivity from Space

Details:

Supporting Files

You May Also Like