Comparative Strengths of SCaMPR Satellite QPEs with and without TRMM Ingest versus Gridded Gauge-Only Analyses

Abstract

his paper assesses the accuracy of satellite quantitative precipitation estimates (QPEs) from two versions of the Self-Calibrating Multivariate Precipitation Retrieval (SCaMPR) algorithm relative to that of gridded gauge-only QPEs. The second version of SCaMPR uses the QPEs from Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Radar and Microwave Imager as predictands whereas the first version does not. The assessments were conducted for 22 catchments in Texas and Louisiana against National Weather Service operational multisensor QPE. Particular attention was given to the density below which SCaMPR QPEs outperform gauge-only QPEs and effects of TRMM ingest. Analyses indicate that SCaMPR QPEs can be competitive in terms of correlation and CSI against sparse gauge networks (with less than one gauge per 3200?12 000 km2) and over 1?3-h scale, but their relative strengths diminish with temporal aggregation. In addition, the major advantage of SCaMPR QPEs is its relatively low false alarm rates, whereas gauge-only QPEs exhibit better skill in detecting rainfall?though the detection skill of SCaMPR QPEs tends to improve at higher rainfall thresholds. Moreover, it was found that ingesting TRMM QPEs help mitigate the positive overall bias in SCaMPR QPEs, and improve the detection of moderate?heavy and particularly wintertime precipitation. Yet, it also tends to elevate the false alarm rate, and its impacts on detection rates can be slightly negative for summertime storms. The implications for adoption of TRMM and Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) QPEs for NWS operations are discussed.