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Radar and rain gauge rainfall discrepancies driven by changes in atmospheric conditions
Author(s) -
Song Yang,
Han Dawei,
Zhang Jun
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2017gl074493
Subject(s) - hydrometeorology , rain gauge , relative humidity , radar , environmental science , humidity , meteorology , atmospheric sciences , gauge (firearms) , climatology , precipitation , physics , geology , geography , telecommunications , archaeology , computer science
This study explores humidity impacts on radar‐gauge rainfall discrepancies in three‐dimensional spatial fields. The results indicate that the radar overestimates rainfall when relative humidity is low, whereas the increment of rainfall is detected by the gauge when relative humidity maintains high. The proposed linear models exhibit desirable fitting correlations between the mean relative humidity and the average rainfall deficits especially in the cold season with a higher correlation coefficient r (0.837). The results of model generalizations show a considerable improvement in the radar‐gauge rainfall agreement as RMSE declines evidently from 4.002 mm/h to 1.057 mm/h for rainfall events in the cold season and from 4.615 mm/h to 1.048 mm/h in the warm season. This is the first study as a proof of concept in quantifying relative humidity impacts on radar‐gauge rainfall discrepancies in three‐dimensional fields, which is worthwhile considered as an essential component in radar data correction for hydrometeorological applications.