Drop Size Distributions Measured by a 2D Video Disdrometer: Comparison with Dual-Polarization Radar Data

Abstract

An analysis of drop size distributions (DSDs) measured in four very different precipitation regimes is presented and is compared with polarimetric radar measurements. The DSDs are measured by a 2D video disdrometer, which is designed to measure drop size, shape, and fall speed with unprecedented accuracy. The observations indicate that significant DSD variability exists not only from one event to the next, but also within each system. Also, despite having vastly different storm structures and maximum rain rates, large raindrops with diameters greater than 5 mm occurred with each system. By comparing the occurrence of large drops with rainfall intensity, the authors find that the largest median diameters are not always associated with the heaviest rainfall, but are sometimes located either in advance of convective cores or, occasionally, in stratiform regions where rainfall rates are relatively low. Disdrometer and polarimetric radar measurements of radar reflectivity Z, differential reflectivity ZDR, specific differential phase KDP, and R(Z) and R(KDP) rain-rate estimators are compared in detail. Overall agreement is good, but it is found that both R(Z) and R(KDP) underestimate rain rate when the DSD is dominated by small drops and overestimate rain rate when the DSD is dominated by large drops. The results indicate that a classification of different rain types (associated with different DSDs) should be an essential part of polarimetric rainfall estimation. Furthermore, observations suggest that ZDR is a key parameter for making such a distinction. Last, the authors compute and compare maximum and average of gamma shape, slope, and intercept parameters for all four precipitation events. Potential measurement errors with the 2D video disdrometer are also discussed.