Use of Radar Rainfall Data in Hydrologic Modeling

Abstract

This chapter discusses radar rainfall data formats for use in hydrologic models. Radar rainfall estimation offers potential to provide accurate rainfall surfaces because radar can cover entire watersheds completely, provide high spatial resolution, and provide high temporal resolution. Hydrologic models are grouped into two categories: lumped or gridded. A lumped hydrologic model combines all hydrologic processes within a single watershed or sub-watershed into a single element. A gridded model considers hydrologic processes within a rectilinear grid cell. The National Weather Service Weather Service Radar Doppler 88D radars were first installed in the early to mid-1990s. However, the growing national database of radar rainfall estimates represents the first opportunity for hydrologists to conduct in-depth studies of rainfall events’ geometric properties.