TRMM_3A26: Monthly Surface Rainfall Distributions

TRMM Radar Rain Distributions L3 1 month 5 degree x 5 degree V7 (TRMM_3A26) at GES DISC contains monthly surface rainfall distributions derived from rain rate statistics. The dataset includes estimated probability distribution functions for space-time rain rates at four vertical levels and derived mean, standard deviation, and probability of rain. Three different rain rate estimates serve as algorithm inputs: standard Z-R, Hitschfield-Bordan (H-B), and rain rates from 2A25.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical profiles of rainfall probability at 2 km, 4 km, and 6 km levels.
• Comparing rainfall statistics derived from three different rain rate estimation algorithms.
• Studying monthly spatial distributions of surface rainfall over a 5-degree grid.
• Calculating path-averaged rain rates for atmospheric studies.

Strengths

• Provides derived statistical parameters (mean, standard deviation, probability) from rain rate distributions.
• Offers data at four specific vertical levels (2 km, 4 km, 6 km, path-averaged).
• Cross-platform presence on NASA Earthdata and Data.gov suggests established use.

Limitations

• Column names and exact row counts are unknown across all sources.
• Sources conflict on last updated date (2026-04-09 vs 2015-04-01).
• The dataset description notes a newer version (GPM_3PR) exists in a different format.

Provenance

Source

GES_DISC

Collection Method

Derived from TRMM radar rain rate statistics.

Time Range

Monthly

Freshness

2026-04-09 21:27:32.252154

Geography

Global, 5 degree x 5 degree grid