The Panthere project and the evolution of the French operational radar network and products : rain-estimation, Doppler winds and dual-polarisation

The French radar network is composed of 18 radars. The Panthere project is responsible for the installation of 8 new radars : 2 of which will be replaced and 6 will be added to fill in gaps in the current network. In addition, the project aims to improve the quality of measurements by deploying new technologies and algorithms, that is rain rate estimation, Doppler winds and dual-polarisation. Following a brief description of the existing network, we provide details on the new rain rate estimation algorithm which intends to correct radar data for ground echoes, partial beam blockage, and VPR effects. Lastly, the Doppler deployment project is described as well as the implementation strategy for dual-polarisation radars.