A GIS methodology for the analysis of weather radar precipitation data

Abstract

A GIS multi-component module was developed within the ArcView GIS environment for processing and analysing weather radar precipitation data. The module is capable of: (a) reading geo-reference radar data and comparing it with rain-gauge network data, (b) estimating the kinematics of rainfall patterns, such as the storm speed and direction, and (c) accumulating radar-derived rainfall depths. By bringing the spatial capabilities of GIS to bear this module can accurately locate rainfall on the ground and can overlay the animated storm on different geographical features of the study area, making the exploration of the storm's kinematic characteristics obtained from radar data relatively simple. A case study in the City of Hamilton in Ontario, Canada is used to demonstrate the functionality of the module. Radar comparison with rain gauge data revealed an underestimation of the classical Marshal & Palmer Z-R relation to rainfall rate.