Comparative statistical study of hourly precipitation determined by radar-based Stage IV and ground-based methods in the North Central United States

Figures & data

Figure 1. Spatial distribution of HADS stations, NEXRAD radar stations, and selected precipitation stations.

Table 1. Selected rain gauge precipitation stations for the comparative analyses

			Precision			Longitude		Latitude			Data Completeness, %
Station Number	City	State	0.1 in	0.01 in	Gauge Type*	Deg	Min	Deg	Min	Elevation (m)	2006	2007	2008
137058	Ringsted	IA	X		FPR-E	−94	31	43	18	372	100.00	82.11	97.71
211250	Camp Norris	MN	X		FPU	−95	11	48	37	393	67.11	90.96	72.48
214026	International Falls	MN		X	AWPAG	−93	24	48	34	361	100.00	83.52	0.00
217294	Saint Cloud	MN		X	AWPAG	−94	03	45	33	310	100.00	100.00	99.91
218947	White Rock Dam	MN	X		FPR-D	−96	34	45	52	312	98.87	97.15	87.31
240165	Alzada	MT	X		FPR-D	−104	25	45	01	1052	91.83	24.97	65.50
243558	Glasgow	MT		X	AWPAG	−106	37	48	13	697	99.43	100.00	100.00
245690	Miles City	MT		X	AHTB	−105	53	46	26	800	99.46	99.90	100.00
249900	Zortman	MT	X		FPR-D	−108	32	47	55	1231	91.01	87.77	93.46
258760	Valentine	NE		X	TB	−100	33	42	53	789	100.00	100.00	97.81
320819	Bismarck	ND		X	AHTB	−100	45	46	47	503	100.00	100.00	100.00
322183	Th. Roosevelt AP	ND		X	AHTB	−102	48	46	48	786	99.98	100.00	99.90
322859	Fargo	ND		X	TB	−96	49	46	56	274	100.00	99.71	99.87
323616	Grand Forks	ND		X	TB	−97	11	47	57	257	100.00	100.00	100.00
324413	Jamestown	ND		X	AHTB	−98	40	46	56	455	100.00	100.00	100.00
327655	Rolette	ND	X		FPR-E	−99	48	48	38	494	96.44	91.87	95.89
329425	Williston	ND		X	TB	−103	38	48	10	580	99.68	100.00	100.00
390020	Aberdeen	SD		X	AWPAG	−98	25	45	27	395	99.95	100.00	100.00
394127	Huron	SD		X	AWPAG	−98	13	44	24	390	99.97	100.00	99.92
396597	Pierre	SD		X	AHTB	−100	17	44	23	531	99.89	100.00	100.00
396937	Rapid City	SD		X	AHTB	−103	03	44	03	963	99.57	100.00	99.77
397667	Sioux Falls	SD		X	FPR-E	−96	44	43	35	436	93.89	99.23	97.77
481570	Casper	WY		X	AWPAG	−106	28	42	54	1627	99.69	99.90	98.80
486935	Osage	WY	X		FPU	−104	25	43	59	1317	86.79	91.74	54.09
488155	Sheridan	WY		X	AWPAG	−106	58	44	46	1202	99.45	100.00	99.81
Notes: *Gauge types: tipping bucket (TB), automated heating tipping bucket (AHTB), all-weather precipitation accumulation gauge (AWPAG), Fischer-Porter Rebuild–Sutron (FPR-D), Fischer-Porter Rebuild–CES (FPR-E), and Fischer-Porter Upgrade (FPU).

Table 2. Location and distance of nearest NEXRAD radar site to rain gauge stations

Rain Gauge Station				Nearest NEXRAD Radar Station
City	State	Latitude°N	Longitude°W	City	State	Latitude°N	Longitude°W	Distance(km)
Ringsted	IA	43.30	94.52	Des Moines	IA	41.73	93.72	186
Camp Norris	MN	48.62	95.18	Fargo/Grand Forks	ND	47.53	97.33	200
International Falls	MN	48.57	93.40	Duluth	MN	46.84	92.18	213
Saint Cloud	MN	45.55	94.05	Minneapolis	MN	44.85	93.57	87
White Rock Dam	MN	45.87	96.57	Fargo/Grand Forks	ND	47.53	97.33	193
Alzada	MT	45.02	104.42	Rapid City	SD	44.13	102.83	160
Glasgow	MT	48.22	106.62	Glasgow	MT	48.21	106.62	1.3
Miles City	MT	46.43	105.88	Glasgow	MT	48.21	106.62	205
Zortman	MT	47.92	108.53	Glasgow	MT	48.21	106.62	145
Valentine	NE	42.88	100.55	North Platte	NE	41.96	100.58	103
Bismarck	ND	46.78	100.75	Bismarck	ND	46.77	100.76	1.6
Th. Roosevelt AP	ND	46.80	102.80	Bismarck	ND	46.77	100.76	155
Fargo	ND	46.93	96.82	Fargo/Grand Forks	ND	47.53	97.33	76
Grand Forks	ND	47.95	97.18	Fargo/Grand Forks	ND	47.53	97.33	48
Jamestown	ND	46.93	98.67	Fargo/Grand Forks	ND	47.53	97.33	121
Rolette	ND	48.63	99.80	Minot AFB	ND	48.39	100.86	83
Williston	ND	48.17	103.63	Minot AFB	ND	48.39	100.86	206
Aberdeen	SD	45.45	98.42	Aberdeen	SD	45.46	98.41	0.7
Huron	SD	44.40	98.22	Aberdeen	SD	45.46	98.41	118
Pierre	SD	44.38	100.28	Aberdeen	SD	45.46	98.41	189
Rapid City	SD	44.05	103.05	Rapid City	SD	44.13	102.83	19
Sioux Falls	SD	43.58	96.73	Sioux Falls	SD	43.59	96.73	0.6
Casper	WY	42.90	106.47	Riverton	WY	43.07	108.48	164
Osage	WY	43.98	104.42	Rapid City	SD	44.13	102.83	128
Sheridan	WY	44.77	106.97	Billings	MT	45.86	108.61	176

Figure 2. Number of hours of nonzero precipitation, 2006–2008.

Figure 3. Ratios of hours of precipitation in 2006–2008.

Figure 4. Mean bias (Stage IV − rain gauge), in/hr.

Figure 5. Mean absolute error (Stage IV − rain gauge), in/hr.

Figure 6. Total annual Stage IV precipitation as a function of total annual rain gauge precipitation.

Figure 7. Intercept and slope of linear regression of Stage IV precipitation as function of rain gauge precipitation.

Figure 8. Correlation coefficient Stage IV as a function of rain gauge data.

Figure 9. Scatter plot of hourly Stage IV precipitation as a function of hourly rain gauge precipitation: Jamestown, ND, in 2006.

Figure 10. Scatter plot of hourly Stage IV precipitation as a function of hourly rain gauge precipitation: Sioux Falls, SD, in 2006.

Figure 11. Scatter plot of hourly Stage IV precipitation as a function of hourly rain gauge precipitation: Bismark, ND, in 2006.

Figure 12. Scatter plot of hourly Stage IV precipitation as a function of hourly rain gauge precipitation: Casper, WY, in 2006.

Figure 13. Scatter plot of hourly Stage IV precipitation as a function of hourly rain gauge precipitation: Ringsted, IA, in 2006.

Figure 14. Mean bias (Stage IV − rain gauge) for high-precision stations as a function of rain gauge type.

Figure 15. Mean absolute error (Stage IV − rain gauge) for high-precision stations as a function of rain gauge type.

Figure 16. Correlation coefficient, Stage IV, as a function of rain gauge data for high-precision stations categorized by rain gauge type.

Figure 17. Mean bias of Stage IV − rain gauge precipitation (in/hr) for high-precision stations as a function of distance from NEXRAD radar.

Figure 18. Mean absolute error of Stage IV − rain gauge precipitation (in/hr) for high-precision stations as a function of distance from NEXRAD radar.

Figure 19. Correlation coefficient of Stage IV as a function of rain gauge for high-precision stations shown in relation to distance from NEXRAD radar.

Figure 20. Quarterly hours of nonzero precipitation by Stage IV and rain gauge in 2006 (high-precision stations).

Figure 21. Quarterly Stage IV precipitation as a function of quarterly rain gauge precipitation in 2006.

Figure 22. Geographical distribution of total annual precipitation (mm) in 2007 (18 high-precision rain gauge stations).

Figure 23. Geographical distribution of total annual precipitation (mm) in 2007 Stage IV, at 25 selected rain gauge stations.

Figure 24. Geographical distribution of total annual precipitation (mm) in 2007 Stage IV: 52,011 grid points, 4 km × 4 km spatial resolution.

Figure 25. Geographical distribution of total annual precipitation (mm) in 2006 Stage IV: 52,011 grid points, 4 km × 4 km spatial resolution.

Figure 26. Geographical distribution of total annual precipitation (mm) in 2008 Stage IV: 52,011 grid points, 4 km × 4 km spatial resolution.