Abstract
The effect of beam blockage on rainfall estimates derived from radar reflectivity and specific propagation phase was evaluated from measurements of a convective rainfall event from the National Center for Atmospheric Research's S-band polarized (S-Pol) radar. This storm produced a flash flood in a mountainous watershed to the southwest of Denver, Colorado, and widespread rainfall over the plains. A beam blockage map of the region, based on a digital elevation model and characteristics of the S-Pol radiation pattern, was computed. Rain-rate estimates over both low and high beam-blockage areas were compared. Results supported the hypothesis that specific propagation phase-based quantitative precipitation estimates tend to be less influenced by terrain than reflectivity-based precipitation estimates are.
| Original language | English |
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| Pages (from-to) | 837-845 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1999 |