Comparing Distribution Functions of Rain Rates from Gauge, NEXRAD, and TRMM Radar Observations
Abstract
The distribution of rain rate is of great interest in many fields. For example, hydrological applications such as flood forecasting depend on an accurate representation of the rainfall--driven by rain rate--that does not infiltrate the soil. However, efforts to evaluate quantitative instantaneous rain rate estimates and rain rate forecasts, as opposed to rainfall amounts, are surprisingly rare. In this presentation we will compare probability distribution functions (pdfs) of radar rain rate estimates derived using different gauge adjustment schemes. Then we will compare the gauge adjusted ground radar (NEXRAD) pdfs with those of the TRMM spaceborne radar observations. The ground reference rain rate products used to generate the pdfs are from the NASA TRMM ground validation site in central Florida and from the new NOAA/NSSL experimental radar products (Q2) of high- resolution (1 km, 5-min) instantaneous rain rate mosaic available over the entire continental U.S.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2007
- Bibcode:
- 2007AGUFM.H23K..04A
- Keywords:
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- 1853 Precipitation-radar;
- 1854 Precipitation (3354);
- 1855 Remote sensing (1640);
- 3354 Precipitation (1854)