NEXRAD Single and Dual Polarization Radar-Rainfall Product Comparison for the NASA Iowa Flood Studies (IFloodS)

During the months of April to June 2013, NASA conducted a field experiment called Iowa Flood Studies (IFloodS) as part of the Ground Validation (GV) program for the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission in the central and northeastern Iowa in the United States. The purpose of IFloodS is to enhance the understanding of flood-related precipitation processes in events worldwide. While there are multiple rainfall data sets (satellite, radar, and ground reference data products) available as legacy from IFloodS, the authors focus on the comparison of the NEXRAD single and dual polarization precipitation products to evaluate potential benefits of using dual polarization data for flood-related precipitation events. The Hydro-NEXRAD and CSU (Colorado State University)-HIDRO blended precipitation processing algorithms were used to generate single and dual polarization products, respectively. Data from four NEXRAD radars (Des Moines, IA; Davenport, IA; Minneapolis, MN; and La Crosse, WI) were combined to cover the study area. Uncertainties of both products using dense networks of ground reference (e.g., rain gauge and disdrometer) are characterized. Major differences and similarities based on the observed precipitation cases are also discussed.