NEXRAD Radar Precipitation Data for Iowa Flood Studies

Four NEXRAD S-Band radar stations collected precipitation data to support the Global Precipitation Measurement mission's ground validation during the Iowa Flood Studies campaign. The dataset contains digital instantaneous precipitation rate and storm total accumulation estimates in NIDS binary format. Data collection occurred from March 29, 2013, through June 18, 2013, under the auspices of NASA.

Use Cases

• Validating satellite-derived precipitation estimates from the GPM mission using ground-based radar reflectivity and precipitation rate data.
• Analyzing storm structure and accumulation for flood prediction and hydrological modeling in the Iowa region.
• Calibrating radar rainfall algorithms by comparing instantaneous precipitation rate (DPR) with total storm accumulation (DTA).
• Studying the spatial and temporal distribution of precipitation during a focused field campaign.

Strengths

• Data originates from the established network of 160 NEXRAD S-Band radars, a standard for U.S. weather observation.
• Provides two key precipitation products: digital instantaneous rate (DPR) and storm total accumulation (DTA).
• Serves a specific, high-value purpose: ground validation for the NASA-led Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission.

Limitations

• Core dataset details are unspecified: row count, file size, and exact column structure are unknown.
• Data is stored in proprietary NIDS binary format, requiring specialized software or libraries for access and analysis.
• Conflicting 'last updated' metadata exists between platforms (2013 vs. 2026), casting doubt on provenance timeliness.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Data gathered from four selected NEXRAD radar stations during the IFloodS field campaign.

Time Range

March 29, 2013 through June 18, 2013

Freshness

2026-03-13 02:21:06.730375

Geography

Vicinity of the Iowa Flood Studies campaign, United States