Precipitation estimation from the ARM distributed radar network during the MC3E campaign

Description

The ARM DOE-NASA Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E) was the first demonstration of the ARM Climate Research Facility scanning precipitation radar platforms. A goal for the MC3E field campaign at the Southern Great Plains (SGP) facility was to demonstrate the capabilities of ARM polarimetric radar systems for providing unique insights into deep convective storm evolution and microphysics. One practical application of interest for climate studies and the forcing of cloud resolving models is improved Quantitative Precipitation Estimates (QPE) from ARM radar systems positioned at SGP and Tropical Western Pacific (TWP) locations.

This study presents the results of ARM radar-based precipitation estimates during the two-month MC3E campaign. Emphasis is on the usefulness of polarimetric C-band radar observations from the C-band scanning ARM precipitation radar (C-SAPR) for rainfall estimation to distances within 100 km of the Oklahoma SGP facility. Collocated ARM/NASA disdrometer resources, precipitation profiling radars, and nearby surface Oklahoma Mesonet gauge records are consulted to evaluate potential ARM radar-based rainfall products and optimal methods. Rainfall products are also evaluated against the regional NEXRAD-standard observations.