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Pavement Precipitation Accumulation

Pavement Precipitation Accumulation. Presenter: Mark Askelson University of North Dakota Department of Atmospheric Sciences/RWIC/STWRC. Precipitation Data Sources. Precipitation Data Sources. Primary sources Surface observations Radar Satellite Analyses/models.

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Pavement Precipitation Accumulation

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  1. Pavement Precipitation Accumulation Presenter: Mark Askelson University of North Dakota Department of Atmospheric Sciences/RWIC/STWRC Precipitation Data Sources

  2. Precipitation Data Sources • Primary sources • Surface observations • Radar • Satellite • Analyses/models STWRC--Precipitation Data Sources

  3. Precipitation Data Sources • Surface Gauges • Strengths • Accuracy (but wind contamination) • Weakness—limited capacity for indicating snowfall in real time • ASOS: Automated Surface Observing System • Tipping bucket gauges—not presently useful for measuring snowfall. • Visibility → snowfall rate (significant variability) • Manual intervention stations → Useful information, but not enough of them. STWRC--Precipitation Data Sources

  4. Precipitation Data Sources → North Dakota ASOS/AWOS stations. → Manual intervention stations circled. → Not shown (KRDR—GF AFB, a manual intervention station). → Only some of these provide real time snowfall amounts. ND ASOS/AWOS stations (from http://www.faa.gov/asos/map/nd.cfm). STWRC--Precipitation Data Sources

  5. Precipitation Data Sources → South Dakota ASOS/AWOS stations. → Manual intervention stations circled. → Not shown (KRCA—Ellsworth AFB, a manual intervention station). → Only some of these provide real time snowfall amounts. SD ASOS/AWOS stations (from http://www.faa.gov/asos/map/nd.cfm). STWRC--Precipitation Data Sources

  6. Precipitation Data Sources • AWOS: Automated Weather Observing System • AWOSIII-P has a precipitation identification sensor, but does not record amounts. • RWIS: Road Weather Information System • DOT • 14 in North Dakota; 35 in South Dakota • Indicate precipitation occurrence STWRC--Precipitation Data Sources

  7. Precipitation Data Sources • RAWS: Remote Automated Weather Stations • United States Forest Service • 9 in North Dakota; 5 in South Dakota • Uncertain regarding utility for snowfall estimation • Citizen Weather Observer Program (CWOP) • Forecast Systems Laboratory • Private weather stations • PRIMENet • EPA and NPS • 1 station in North Dakota • Uncertain snowfall measurement potential STWRC--Precipitation Data Sources

  8. Precipitation Data Sources • High Plains Regional Climate Center Automated Weather Data Network (HPRCC-AWDN) • NDAWN: North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network → NDSU → 55 in North Dakota → Tipping bucket rain gauge • South Dakota → 11 in South Dakota → Tipping bucket rain gauges STWRC--Precipitation Data Sources

  9. Precipitation Data Sources • South Dakota Television Stations • KOTA-TV WeatherNet • KELO WeatherNet • KMEG Weather Net • Uncertain snowfall measurement utility STWRC--Precipitation Data Sources

  10. Precipitation Data Sources • Non real-time networks • NWS Cooperative Observer Program • NOAA/NWS 15 Minute Cooperative Observer Program → 55 in North Dakota; 40 in South Dakota → Weighing rain gauges. • North Dakota Atmospheric Resource Board Cooperative Observer Network → Principally concerned with rainfall. → Operates from April to September. STWRC--Precipitation Data Sources

  11. Precipitation Data Sources • Cost of setting up surface gauges for South Dakota • 75,885 square miles • Yankee Sensor • Estimated ~$10,000 each (for sensor alone) • Minimizes wind contamination of amounts • Estimates • 1 gauge/900 mi2: ~$850,000 • 1 gauge/400 mi2: $1.9 million • 1 gauge/100 mi2: $7.6 million • Infrastructure and maintenance? STWRC--Precipitation Data Sources

  12. RADAR Estimated Precipitation (2 km resolution) NDAWN Interpolated COOP Interpolated NDARB Interpolated Precipitation Data Sources • Radar • Strengths • Good spatial and temporal coverage • Park River Basin example courtesy of Scott Kroeber STWRC--Precipitation Data Sources

  13. Precipitation Data Sources • Weaknesses • Accuracy • 40-50% error common for storm total accumulation • Can reach 100% for < 1” snowfalls. • Overshooting • 0.5˚ beam reaches 5.0 km at ~225 km range. STWRC--Precipitation Data Sources

  14. Precipitation Data Sources • Ground Clutter and Anomalous Propagation • Ground Clutter: Commonly observed return owing to radar beam bouncing off buildings, towers, etc. • Anomalous Propagation: Radar beam bends downward towards the Earth more than normal…produces anomalous returns to the radar. STWRC--Precipitation Data Sources

  15. Precipitation Data Sources • Satellite • Strengths—Expands coverage area. • Weaknesses • Been applied more to rain than snow. • Probably more effective for heavy snow (identify cloud patterns) • May not resolve light snow (clouds cannot be discriminated from snow on the ground). STWRC--Precipitation Data Sources

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