Ground Radar Data for Satellite Snowfall Validation

160 NEXRAD weather radar sites collected data from January 9 to March 12, 2012 for the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment. NASA's GCPEx campaign gathered these observations to characterize the ability of multi-frequency microwave sensors to detect and estimate falling snow. The dataset includes Level 2 binary files and Level 3 compressed binary files from the KTYX radar site.

Use Cases

• Validating and improving GPM satellite snowfall retrieval algorithms using ground radar reflectivity.
• Analyzing the microphysical structure of precipitating snow during the winter season.
• Studying the relationship between radar spectral features like mean radial velocity and snowfall rates.
• Comparing coordinated model simulations of snow with observed radar imagery and spectrum width data.

Strengths

• Data collection was focused on a specific scientific campaign (GCPEx) with a clear goal to improve snowfall algorithms.
• Includes observations from a major operational radar network (160 NEXRAD WSR-88D sites).
• Covers a defined two-month winter period for cold-season precipitation analysis.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, file sizes, and detailed column names are not provided by any source.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date, with one listing 2012 and another listing a future date of 2026.
• The license is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified' without clear terms.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Collected by the Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) system, specifically the KTYX Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) site.

Time Range

January 9, 2012 to March 12,  2012

Freshness

2026-03-13 02:22:59.421892

Geography

United States and select overseas locations (coverage of the 160 NEXRAD sites).