Verification of multi-sensor, multi-radar hail diagnosis techniques

There are several hail prediction techniques employed by operational forecasters. Some of these methods are based on single-radar algorithm output grids such as Vertically Integrated Liquid (VIL) or VIL Density, while others use cell-based VIL, Hail Detection Algorithm output, or vertical reflectivity profiles. This study compares existing techniques to several new, multi-sensor hail detection and storm analysis products. These new products include gridded output fields integrated from three-dimensional mosaics of reflectivity data as well as cell-based parameters from NSSL's Multi-Radar Storm Cell Identification and Tracking Algorithm. Approximately 100 hail event days with over 2000 hail reports are analyzed. We focus on evaluating the performance of these new techniques in regions where well-know techniques have a high failure rate: near-range to a radar (in the “cone of silence”), in areas of beam blockage, and at long ranges where the beam resolution is course.