Evaluating the Feasibility of Phased Array Radar‐Derived Quantitative Precipitation Estimation Using the NSSL's Advanced Technology Demonstrator

Blumenauer, Emily J.; Alford, A. Addison; Bodine, David J.; Kirstetter, Pierre‐Emmanuel; Clark, Robert; Reinhart, Anthony

doi:10.1029/2025GL119692

i

Evaluating the Feasibility of Phased Array Radar‐Derived Quantitative Precipitation Estimation Using the NSSL's Advanced Technology Demonstrator

2026
By Blumenauer, Emily J. ; Alford, A. Addison ; Bodine, David J. ; ...

Details

Journal Title:

Geophysical Research Letters
Personal Author:

Blumenauer, Emily J. ; Alford, A. Addison ; Bodine, David J. ; Kirstetter, Pierre‐Emmanuel ; Clark, Robert ; Reinhart, Anthony
NOAA Program & Office:

OAR (Oceanic and Atmospheric Research) ; NSSL (National Severe Storms Laboratory)
Description:

The Weather Surveillance Radar–1988 Dopplers (WSR‐88Ds) are an operational network of S‐band, dual‐polarization radars in the United States. Currently, replacement options are being considered for the next generation of weather radars. One option is dual‐polarization phased array radar (PAR), which employs electronic beam steering to provide faster volumetric updates. The Advanced Technology Demonstrator (ATD) is a research PAR that is being used to evaluate the feasibility of PAR technology. Presumably, the improved temporal resolution of the PARs will lead to more accurate radar‐based quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE). However, PARs require more complex calibration, especially for dual‐polarization observations. To test this hypothesis, the ATD and KOUN are used. From radar data over rain gauge locations, rainfall accumulations are calculated and compared to rain gauge observations. We show that, overall, PAR‐based QPE can perform 16.1% better than current WSR‐88Ds, in part due to the <60‐s low‐level sampling rate of the ATD.
Source:

Geophysical Research Letters, 53(8)
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL119692
ISSN:

0094-8276 ; 1944-8007
Format:

pdf
Publisher:

American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Document Type:

Journal Article
Funding:

Grant no. NA21OAR4320204
License:

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Rights Information:

CC BY
Compliance:

Submitted
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha-512:4d2d50cd918c3c96f9e11449db234629806f4f534308f822a32007d6dfa42bdeaf7c55941910e98dcc57231d8177fe79557abd2978385c456f9f9a149b4f1804
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/73323/noaa_73323_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 2.76 MB ]

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