NEXRAD Level II Radar Data for Atlantic Coast Snowstorms

31 NEXRAD weather radar sites collected Level II surveillance data from January 1 to March 1, 2020, as part of the IMPACTS field campaign. The dataset contains dual-polarization base data quantities, including radar reflectivity, radial velocity, and differential phase, to study snowband formation and microphysics. Data is provided in netCDF-4 format by the GHRC DAAC and will be updated for subsequent campaign years.

Use Cases

• Analyzing snowband organization and evolution using radar reflectivity and radial velocity columns.
• Studying snow particle microphysics and growth mechanisms via dual-polarization data like differential reflectivity and cross correlation ratio.
• Improving snowfall remote sensing interpretation by correlating spectrum width and differential phase measurements with ground observations.
• Validating and advancing numerical weather prediction models for winter storms using high-resolution, multi-site radar time-series.

Strengths

• Data originates from a coordinated, three-year field campaign (IMPACTS) with specific scientific objectives.
• Covers 31 NEXRAD radar sites, providing spatial coverage for U.S. Atlantic Coast snowstorms.
• Includes six key meteorological and dual-polarization base data quantities for detailed microphysical analysis.

Limitations

• Conflicting last updated dates exist across platforms: one states 2026-03-13, another states 2020-03-01.
• Exact file size, row count, and total number of data files are not specified in the provided metadata.
• Initial data release covers only a two-month period (Jan-Mar 2020) of the multi-year campaign.

Provenance

Source

GHRC DAAC (Global Hydrology Resource Center Distributed Active Archive Center).

Collection Method

Collected via Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) Level II surveillance systems at 31 operational sites.

Time Range

January 1, 2020 to March 1, —.

Freshness

2026-03-13 01:20:11.647617

Geography

31 NEXRAD sites across the United States, focused on the U.S. Atlantic Coast region.