Rainfall Retrieval and Nowcasting Based on Multispectral Satellite Images. Part II: Retrieval Study on Daytime Half-Hour Rain Rate

Abstract

o implement continuous and reliable rainfall retrieval, based on the satellite retrieval algorithm of 10-min rain rate, this study proposes an immediate tracking and continuous accumulation technique (ITCAT) of half-hour rainfall retrieval by further combining the cross-correlation method. The ITCAT includes two steps. 1) The cross-correlation method is applied to track cloud-motion currents and establish 10-min-interval image sequences. 2) A continuous retrieval of 10-min rain rates is conducted with the image sequences, and finally a total half-hour rainfall is determined by accumulations. The satellite retrieval tests on the typical precipitation processes in the summer of 2008 show that, compared with the previous direct rainfall retrieval for half-hour to one-hour, this rainfall retrieval technique significantly improves the retrieval accuracy of rainfall scope and rainfall intensity ranging from slight rain to rainstorm for both real-time monitoring or nowcasting processes. This technique is more effective than the previous algorithm, and the fundamental reason lies in its consideration of the movement of cloud clusters. On this basis, coverage duration of rainfall clouds can be reliably estimated. It is of significance to the retrieval of deep convective cloud rainfall with rapid movement speed and drastic intensity variation. This technique also provides a feasible idea for improving the accuracy of rainfall nowcasting.