GCPEx Ground Validation Web Camera Images from Ontario

Web camera images provide a visual record of weather conditions at five sites in Ontario, Canada, during the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx). The dataset was collected by the Global Hydrology Resource Center DAAC from January 15 to March 1, 2012, using fixed outdoor AXIS P1343-E network cameras with day/night functionality. These images supported the validation and improvement of satellite-based snowfall retrieval algorithms.

Use Cases

• Validating satellite-based snowfall retrieval algorithms by comparing visual weather conditions with remote sensing data.
• Studying the temporal evolution of winter weather events through time-series image analysis.
• Providing ground-truth visual context for coordinated model simulations of precipitating snow collected during GCPEx.
• Analyzing site-specific environmental conditions (e.g., visibility, cloud cover, precipitation type) across five locations.

Strengths

• Images were captured with a camera featuring automated day/night functionality and IR filter control, ensuring consistent data collection across lighting conditions.
• Data collection was part of a targeted field campaign (GCPEx) designed to address specific shortcomings in a major satellite mission (GPM) algorithm.

Limitations

• Specific image count, file sizes, and exact column/feature names are not provided by any source.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date, with one listing 2012-03-01 and others listing 2026-03-13, creating uncertainty about post-campaign processing.

Provenance

Source

Global Hydrology Resource Center DAAC (GHRC_DAAC).

Collection Method

Collected using fixed outdoor AXIS P1343-E network cameras mounted at five site locations.

Time Range

January 15, 2012 to March 1, 2012.

Freshness

2026-03-13 02:05:05.105733

Geography

Five site locations in Ontario, Canada.