A Polar Precipitation Perspective Using Spaceborne Observational Datasets

Spaceborne remote sensing missions such as NASA’s CloudSat and Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission have initiated development of valuable datasets at polar latitudes and thus serve as valuable observational constraints to model-based polar precipitation estimates.  This presentation will highlight results from recently developed spaceborne remote sensing datasets.  Special focus will be dedicated to multi-year snowfall “climatologies” in polar regions, including annual average snowfall estimates at higher latitudes, seasonal and interannual snowfall variability as observed from space, and unique polar snowfall modes that are effectively captured by spaceborne radar observations.   Spaceborne snowfall dataset evaluation results using reanalysis and ground-based radars will also be discussed to illustrate potential causes of bias between respective independent datasets.   A discussion of uncertainty sources associated with spaceborne snowfall estimates - and possible ways to mitigate such uncertainties - will also be presented.