IPHEx Weather Radar Reflectivity Images For GPM Validation

NEXRAD radar data from the KRAX station provides base reflectivity images in PNG format for the 2014 IPHEx field campaign. This dataset supports ground validation of the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission and evaluation of Quantitative Precipitation Estimation products. The data was collected and managed by the GHRC DAAC.

Use Cases

• Validating satellite-derived precipitation estimates from the GPM mission using ground-based radar reflectivity observations.
• Evaluating Quantitative Precipitation Estimation (QPE) products for hydrologic forecasting models in the southeastern United States.
• Analyzing the size distribution and amount of water particles in the atmosphere during the IPHEx campaign period.

Strengths

• Data originates from the established NEXRAD network of 160 S-Band radars, a standard for U.S. weather observation.
• Provides a focused temporal sample from a specific field campaign (IPHEx) from May 1 to June 12, 2014.
• Its presence on multiple authoritative platforms (NASA Earthdata and Data.gov) signals importance and reliability for the research community.

Limitations

• The dataset consists of browse images (PNG), not the underlying quantitative radar data files, limiting analytical depth.
• Key metadata such as row count, file size, and exact license terms are inconsistently reported or unknown across sources.
• The temporal coverage is limited to a 43-day period in 2014, representing a snapshot rather than a long-term record.

Provenance

Source

GHRC DAAC (Global Hydrology Resource Center Distributed Active Archive Center).

Collection Method

Collected by the stationary KRAX NEXRAD S-Band radar instrument during the Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment (IPHEx) field campaign.

Time Range

2014-05-01 to 2014-06-12

Freshness

2026-03-13 22:34:24.116636

Geography

Southeastern region of the United States (specific to the KRAX radar station coverage area).