GPM PRPS: Climate-Reference Satellite Precipitation Profiles at 0.25 Degree Resolution

Global satellite precipitation estimates from the GPM mission's Precipitation Retrieval and Profiling Scheme (PRPS). This dataset uses climate-homogeneous ancillary data from ECMWF-Interim reanalysis to generate daily, 0.25 x 0.25 degree gridded precipitation profiles, error assessments, and quality flags. It is produced by NASA's Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) and was last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Analyzing long-term precipitation climatology based on climate-reference ancillary data.
• Validating other precipitation retrieval algorithms based on the model-independent PRPS scheme.
• Studiating atmospheric water vapor and precipitation profiles based on SAPHIR-DPR matched observations.
• Assessing precipitation estimation error based on the provided error assessment and quality flags.

Strengths

• Uses homogeneous climate-reference ancillary data (ECMWF-Interim) for consistent long-term analysis.
• Provides independent precipitation estimates not reliant on dynamic model data.
• Includes error assessment and quality flags for each precipitation estimate.
• Offers daily global coverage at a 0.25 x 0.25 degree spatial resolution.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data may reflect limitations of the DPR instrument transferred through the retrieval scheme.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Satellite retrieval from matched SAPHIR-DPR observations using the Precipitation Retrieval and Profiling Scheme (PRPS).

Time Range

Daily data, part of a climate time series.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 01:56:36.528482; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global coverage.