Estimation of Rainfall Based on the Results of Polarimetric Echo Classification

Abstract

The quality of polarimetric radar rainfall estimation is investigated for a broad range of distances from the polarimetric prototype of the Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D). The results of polarimetric echo classification have been integrated into the study to investigate the performance of radar rainfall estimation contingent on hydrometeor type. A new method for rainfall estimation that capitalizes on the results of polarimetric echo classification (EC method) is suggested. According to the EC method, polarimetric rainfall relations are utilized if the radar resolution volume is filled with rain (or rain and hail), and multiple R(Z) relations are used for different types of frozen hydrometeors. The intercept parameters in the R(Z) relations for each class are determined empirically from comparisons with gauges. It is shown that the EC method exhibits better performance than the conventional WSR-88D algorithm with a reduction by a factor of 1.5–2 in the rms error of 1-h rainfall estimates up to distances of 150 km from the radar.