Comparison of Gauge and MPE Precipitation Data for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Model

Abstract

In the interest of assessing an alternative source of precipitation input for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed model, the goal of this study is to compare the next generation weather radar (NEXRAD)-based multisensor precipitation estimator (MPE) with currently available gauge-based precipitation inputs for the model at both point-pixel and spatially aggregated scales. The comparison of gauge-based data with MPE at a point-pixel scale offers insight into how commonly known characteristics of gauge-point data are reflected in the mean areal gauge-based precipitation product. The time and effort for recalibration using MPE can be significantly reduced by strategizing the procedure according to the results of this study. Techniques and findings described here should be of general value for model users to anticipate changes in model parameters and output when moving from gauge-based to MPE precipitation in continuous simulation models.