A comparison of atmospheric profiles using a twelve channel microwave profiling radiometer and radiosondes during low ceiling events

A passive 12-channel microwave profiling radiometer is used to obtain temperature and water vapor profiles from the surface up to 10km in height at six minute intervals. The radiometer is co-located with the NWS sounding site (OKX) on Long Island, NY, providing opportunity for sounding intercomparison over many different weather regimes including low ceiling and visibility events as well as various precipitation events.

During the month of May, 2005, additional radiosondes were launched during low ceiling and visibility events and an analysis of their comparison to the profiling radiometer data is presented here. Results from specific case study analyses are also presented to evaluate the ability of the radiometer to represent the structure of the lower troposphere during changing weather phenomena and low ceiling events.