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This paper describes a new algorithm that is able to detect snowfall and retrieve the associated snow water path (SWP), for any surface type, using the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Microwave Imager (GMI). The algorithm is tuned and evaluated against coincident observations of the Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) onboard CloudSat. It is composed of three modules for (i) snowfall detection, (ii) supercooled droplet detection and (iii) SWP retrieval. This algorithm takes into account environmental conditions to retrieve SWP and does not rely on any surface classification scheme. The snowfall detection module is able to detect 83% of snowfall events including light SWP (down to 1 × 10−3 kg·m−2) with a false alarm ratio of 0.12. The supercooled detection module detects 97% of events, with a false alarm ratio of 0.05. The SWP estimates show a relative bias of −11%, a correlation of 0.84 and a root mean square error of 0.04 kg·m−2. Several applications of the algorithm are highlighted: Three case studies of snowfall events are investigated, and a 2-year high resolution 70°S–70°N snowfall occurrence distribution is presented. These results illustrate the high potential of this algorithm for snowfall detection and SWP retrieval using GMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a new rainfall rate retrieval algorithm, developed within the EUMETSAT H SAF program, based on the Passive microwave Neural network Precipitation Retrieval approach (PNPR v3), designed to work with the conically scanning Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Microwave Imager (GMI). A new rain/no-rain classification scheme, also based on the NN approach, which provides different rainfall masks for different minimum thresholds and degree of reliability, is also described. The algorithm is trained on an extremely large observational database, built from GPM global observations between 2014 and 2016, where the NASA 2B-CMB (V04) rainfall rate product is used as reference. In order to assess the performance of PNPR v3 over the globe, an independent part of the observational database is used in a verification study. The good results found over all surface types (CC > 0.90, ME < −0.22 mm h−1, RMSE < 2.75 mm h−1 and FSE% < 100% for rainfall rates lower than 1 mm h−1 and around 30–50% for moderate to high rainfall rates), demonstrate the good outcome of the input selection procedure, as well as of the training and design phase of the neural network. For further verification, two case studies over Italy are also analysed and a good consistency of PNPR v3 retrievals with simultaneous ground radar observations and with the GMI GPROF V05 estimates is found. PNPR v3 is a global rainfall retrieval algorithm, able to optimally exploit the GMI multi-channel response to different surface types and precipitation structures, that provide global rainfall retrieval in a computationally very efficient way, making the product suitable for near-real time operational applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important objective of the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission is the detection of falling snow, since it accounts for a significant fraction of precipitation in the mid-high latitudes. The GPM Core Observatory carries the first spaceborne Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR), designed with enhanced sensitivity to detect lighter liquid and solid precipitation. The primary goal of this study is to assess the DPR's ability to identify snowfall using near-coincident CloudSat Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) observations and products as an independent reference dataset. CloudSat near global coverage and high sensitivity of the W-band CPR make it very suitable for snowfall-related research. While DPR/CPR radar sensitivity disparities contribute substantially to snowfall detection differences, this study also analyzes other factors such as precipitation phase discriminators that produce snowfall identification discrepancies. Results show that even if the occurrence of snowfall events correctly detected by DPR products is quite small compared to CPR (around 5–7%), the fraction of snowfall mass is not negligible (29–34%). A direct comparison of CPR and DPR reflectivities illustrates that DPR misdetection is worsened by a noise-reducing DPR algorithm component that corrects the measured reflectivity. This procedure eliminates the receiver noise and side lobe clutter effects, but also removes radar signals related to snowfall events that are associated with relatively low reflectivity values. In an effort to increase DPR signal fidelity associated with snowfall, this paper proposes a simple algorithm using matched DPR Ku/Ka radar reflectivities producing an increase of the fraction of snowfall mass detected by DPR up to 59%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]