An operational mobile XPOL for hydrometeorological applications in Brazil

This work presents the main technical characteristics of the mobile X-band polarimetric weather radar (MXPOL) for hydrometeorological applications in the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo (MASP) and how it is operated. The system can detect the early stage of development of thunderstorms that often result in floods in the MASP, as well as long lived stratiform precipitating systems, that cause mood slides especially along the coast of São Paulo. The MXPOL is an important component of a hydrometeorological forecast system to mitigate the effects of flash floods and mood slides. The MXPOL can be quickly moved from on place to another to monitor these different weather systems in real time. It is used in conjunction with a mesoscale NWP to anticipate types of weather systems; if convective, the MXPOL is placed nearby the MASP and, if long lived stratiform, by the coast area. A sensitivity analysis of weather systems for the summer of 2007 is also shown.