Computerized Rain Assessment and Tracking of South Florida Weather Radar Echoes

Abstract
Weather radar power can be electronically assessed and digitally quantified within many small “range bins.” The tape recorded output from a radar digitizer linked to the Miami WSR-57 is being processed post hoc by a sequence of computer programs written at the Experimental Meteorology Laboratory. One program assesses radar-derived rainfall rates and total rain volumes over preselected areas and for preselected time periods; another isolates and tracks radar echoes and, while so doing, calculates the rainfall from each echo as it grows, moves, splits, merges, or dies. Sample results are displayed and future applications discussed. Abstract Weather radar power can be electronically assessed and digitally quantified within many small “range bins.” The tape recorded output from a radar digitizer linked to the Miami WSR-57 is being processed post hoc by a sequence of computer programs written at the Experimental Meteorology Laboratory. One program assesses radar-derived rainfall rates and total rain volumes over preselected areas and for preselected time periods; another isolates and tracks radar echoes and, while so doing, calculates the rainfall from each echo as it grows, moves, splits, merges, or dies. Sample results are displayed and future applications discussed.

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