Utilizing a dual-polarization radar in complex terrain

A mobile Doppler radar and a special rain gauge network were deployed for the Gunnison Radar Project near Gunnison, Colorado during the summer of 2009. The primary mobile radar was the NSSL's NOAA/OU X-band Polarized (NOXP) research radar. In addition, portable recording tipping bucket rain gauges and optical disdrometers were deployed in the mountainous terrain of the West Elk mountains surrounding Gunnison. Surface observations and ground truth rainfall rates were provided by existing hourly RAWS, HADS, ASOS observations, NWS storm spotters, and 24 hour totals from CoCoRaHS gauges. An active, but non-severe case study event on 8 September 2009 will be employed to investigate precipitation estimates and storm structure including comparisons to the KGJX WSR-88D. Examination of the fine-scale spatial rainfall distribution and intensity during this event and the utility of dual-polarization technology over this complex topographic region will also be addressed. The investigation is timely since it represents recent data collection and examples in a diverse topographic region in advance of dual-polarization implementation in the WSR-88D network.