KILX NEXRAD IMPACTS: Winter Snowstorm Radar Data

Thirty-one NEXRAD radar sites collected Level II dual-polarization data from January 1 to March 1, 2020, as part of the three-year IMPACTS field campaign targeting Atlantic Coast snowstorms. The dataset contains base meteorological quantities such as radar reflectivity, radial velocity, and differential phase, aimed at improving snowfall prediction models. Files are available in netCDF-4 format, with updates planned for subsequent campaign years.

Use Cases

• Analyzing snowband formation mechanisms based on radar reflectivity and velocity data.
• Studying snow particle microphysics using dual-polarization variables like differential reflectivity.
• Improving snowfall remote sensing interpretation and numerical weather prediction models.
• Examining the spatial organization and evolution of winter storms across the U.S. Atlantic Coast.

Strengths

• Contains data from 31 specific NEXRAD radar sites, providing multi-site coverage.
• Captures a focused two-month period during a targeted, multi-year scientific field campaign (IMPACTS).
• Includes dual-polarization base data quantities, which are critical for advanced meteorological analysis.

Limitations

• Specific column names and dataset size (rows, file size) are not provided in any source.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between platforms (2026-04-10 on datagov vs. 2020-03-01 on nasa_earthdata).
• The license is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified' without further details.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Collected via Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) or NEXRAD sites during the IMPACTS field campaign.

Time Range

January 1, 2020 to March 1, 2020

Freshness

2026-04-10 01:51:48.446247

Geography

Data collected at 31 NEXRAD sites, with a study focus on snowstorms over the U.S. Atlantic Coast.