The Development and Testing of Methods to Infer Midlatitude Precipitation Intensity from Geosynchronous Satellite Infrared Data
Abstract
In an attempt to aid development of simple techniques applicable in middle latitudes, this study addresses the inference of precipitation intensity and its temporal change associated with imbedded convective activity at a location in areas of continuous stratiform precipitation from Geosynchronous Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) IR digital data. Imbedded convective activity is easily identified in high resolution visible GOES imagery if high cloud layers are not present to obscure the convection. At low sun angles with the shadowing effect of the convective towers, details of these convective areas are especially enhanced. However, with the need for these methods to be applicable during both daytime and nighttime hours, only the IR 11 micron channel data were used in this study which was based on several synoptic cases. In each of the cases examined, visible and IR imagery and loops were used to help pinpoint optimum areas for study.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 31, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA108881
Entities
People
- Donald R. Johnson
- John V. Zapotocny
- Thomas M. Whittaker
Organizations
- University of Wisconsin–Madison