Regional rainfall climatologies derived from special sensor microwave imager (SSM/I) data

Abstract

Climatologies of convective precipitation were derived from passive microwave observations from the Special Sensor Microwave Imager using a scattering-based algorithm of Adler et al. Data were aggregated over periods of 3-5 months using data from 4 to 5 years. Data were also stratified by satellite overpass times (primarily 06 00 and 18 00 local time). Four regions [Mexico, Amazonia, western Africa, and the western equatorial Pacific Ocean (TOGA COARE area)] were chosen for their meteorological interest and relative paucity of conventional observations. -from Authors