KCXX NEXRAD IMPACTS: Radar Data for Atlantic Snowstorms

31 NEXRAD sites collected Level II weather radar data from January 1 to March 1, 2020, for the IMPACTS field campaign. This dataset contains meteorological and dual-polarization base data quantities including radar reflectivity, radial velocity, and differential reflectivity. IMPACTS was a three-year campaign to study snowband formation and improve snowfall prediction along the U.S. Atlantic Coast.

Use Cases

• Analyzing snowband formation and evolution based on radar reflectivity and velocity data.
• Studying microphysical characteristics of snow particles using dual-polarization variables like differential reflectivity.
• Improving snowfall remote sensing interpretation and numerical weather prediction models.
• Validating satellite-based precipitation estimates over the U.S. Atlantic Coast.

Strengths

• Data originates from 31 operational NEXRAD radar sites, providing wide spatial coverage.
• Contains high-resolution, dual-polarization base data quantities essential for microphysical studies.
• Part of a planned three-year field campaign, suggesting a structured, multi-season data collection effort.

Limitations

• Conflicting metadata: one source lists a last update in 2026, while another indicates data collection ended in 2020.
• Specific column names and the total volume of data (size, row count) are not provided in the available metadata.
• License is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified' without further details.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Collected by Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) Level II surveillance systems.

Time Range

January 1 to March 1, 2020 (with updates planned for subsequent campaign years)

Freshness

2026-04-10 (from one source, conflicting with the 2020 end date)

Geography

Data collected at 31 NEXRAD sites, focused on the U.S. Atlantic Coast region.