NEXRAD Radar Data for GPM Cold-Season Snowfall Experiment

This dataset contains Level 2 and Level 3 NEXRAD radar observations from the Buffalo, NY (KBUF) site, collected during the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) from February 6 to March 12, 2012. The experiment aimed to improve satellite-based snowfall retrieval algorithms by gathering coordinated ground-based microphysical and remote sensing data. It was produced by NASA to validate measurements from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission's multi-frequency microwave sensors.

Use Cases

• Validating GPM satellite snowfall estimates using ground-based radar reflectivity data.
• Analyzing the microphysical structure of winter storms via radar-derived spectrum width and mean radial velocity.
• Studying the relationship between radar observations and in-situ measurements of precipitating snow collected during GCPEx.
• Developing improved algorithms for detecting snowfall using multi-frequency active and passive microwave sensor simulations.

Strengths

• Data originates from the operational NEXRAD network, a standardized system of 160 Doppler radars across the United States.
• Provides focused observations from a 35-day field campaign specifically designed to address snowfall retrieval shortcomings.
• Includes multiple data levels (Level 2 and Level 3) offering both base radar measurements and derived products.

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and dataset size are not documented on the source platforms.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date, listing both 2012-03-12 and a future date of 2026-03-13.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Collected by the KBUF Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) site as part of the GCPEx field campaign.

Time Range

2012-02-06 to 2012-03-12

Freshness

2026-03-13 02:04:08.230484

Geography

Buffalo, New York, United States (KBUF radar site).