A comparison of NEXRAD WSR-88D rain estimates with gauge measurements for high and low reflectivity gradient precipitation events.
Rain gauge measurements were compared with radar-estimated storm total precipitation for 43 rain events that occurred at ten locations. Gauge-to-radar ratios (G/R) were computed for each case. The G/R ratio is strongly related to precipitation type, with the mean G/R slightly less than 1.00 for high-reflectivity gradient cases and greater than 2.00 (factor of 2 radar underestimation) for low-reflectivity gradient cases. both precipitation types indicated radar underestimate at the nearest ranges. However, the high-reflectivity gradient cases indicated radar overestimation at further ranges, while the low-reflectivity gradient cases indicated significant radar underestimation at all ranges. Occurrences of radar overestimates may have been related to high reflectivity returns from melting ice, bright-band effects in stratiform systems and hail from convective systems. Bright-band effects probably were responsible for improving the radar underestimates in the second range interval (50-99.9 km) for the low-reflectivity gradient cases. Other possibilities for radar overestimates are anomalous propagation (AP) of the radar beam. Smith, et al. (1996) concluded that bright band and AP lead to systematic overestimate of rainfall at intermediate ranges.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 11754
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/ER/CP-98756; TRN: AH200118%%173
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 29th International Conference on Radar Meteorology, Montreal, Quebec (CA), 07/12/1999--07/16/1999; Other Information: PBD: 14 Apr 1999
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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