NEXRAD Mosaic East: 3D Radar Data for Atlantic Snowstorms

Nineteen NEXRAD radar sites in the eastern U.S. provide 3D mosaic data for studying Atlantic Coast snowstorms. The dataset contains meteorological and dual-polarization base data quantities, including radar reflectivity and radial velocity, from January to February 2020. It was created for the IMPACTS field campaign, a three-year study (2020-2023) of snowband formation and snowfall prediction.

Use Cases

• Analyzing snowband formation mechanisms based on 3D radar reflectivity mosaics.
• Studying snow particle microphysics using dual-polarization variables like differential reflectivity.
• Improving snowfall remote sensing interpretation and numerical weather prediction models.
• Validating radar-derived precipitation estimates against ground observations during specific storm events.

Strengths

• Covers a specific, high-impact meteorological event period focused on Atlantic snowstorms.
• Integrates data from 19 NEXRAD radar sites into a unified 3D mosaic.
• Includes dual-polarization radar variables which provide detailed information on precipitation type and particle shape.

Limitations

• Initial temporal coverage is limited to two months (January-February 2020), though updates are planned.
• Metadata completeness is low, with column names and exact row/file counts unspecified.
• There is a conflict in the 'last updated' date between platforms (2020 vs. 2026), casting doubt on update timeliness.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Created from Level II surveillance data gathered during the IMPACTS field campaign.

Time Range

2020-01-01 to 2020-02-29

Freshness

2026-04-09 23:57:44.204823

Geography

Eastern United States, specifically the U.S. Atlantic Coast region.