Precipitation and Attenuation Measurements at a 10-cm Wavelength

Abstract

On 9 June 1993, a squall line passed over the National Severe Storms Laboratory Cimarron radar and polarimetric data of this event were recorded. The line produced heavy rain and at one time was oriented north-south, extending over the radar site. At that time intense rainfall occurred over the radar. Polarimetric radar data from this event are examined to explore the utility of polarization radar techniques for rainfall monitoring and to evaluate the rain accumulation algorithm of the National Weather Services WSR-88D radar. The Twin Lakes WSR-88D radar observed the same squall line but from a different viewing angle. An unexpectedly large attenuation was experienced by the 10-cm-wavelength radiation, leading to large errors in conventional rain estimation techniques. An independent assessment of the rain measurements is made using rain accumulation in a dense network of surface rain gauges.