An Algorithm for Operational Water Vapor Analyses Integrating GOES and Dual-Channel Microwave Radiometer Data on the Local Scale

Abstract

An algorithm for the operational integration of satellite-derived and ground-based passive microwave precipitable-water measurements is presented. The technique merges the two data types by relying on the more. accurate ground-based data to correct the bias and scale the satellite field, thus providing an improved meso-?-scale analysis. The complete algorithm is described from the preparation of the derived satellite imagery, used here as a data source, to the optimization routine used to integrate the data. The technique is now used for a local-scale analysis of the Denver area. One case is presented illustrating the effectiveness of the technique to track a weak moisture gradient through eastern Colorado. Other cases demonstrate the performance of the analysis in varying topography.