Unshielded precipitation gauge collection efficiency with wind speed and hydrometeor fall velocity

Collection efficiency transfer functions that compensate for wind-induced collection loss are presented and evaluated for unshielded precipitation gauges. Three novel transfer functions with wind speed and precipitation fall velocity dependence are developed, including a function from computational fluid dynamics modelling (CFD), an experimental fall velocity threshold function (HE1), and an experimental linear fall velocity dependence function (HE2). These functions are evaluated alongside universal (KUniversal) and climate-specific (KCARE) transfer functions with wind speed and temperature dependence. Transfer function performance is assessed using 30-minute precipitation event accumulations reported by unshielded and shielded Geonor T-200B3 precipitation gauges over two winter seasons. The latter gauge was installed in a Double Fence Automated Reference (DFAR) configuration. Estimates of fall velocity were provided by a Precipitation Occurrence Sensor System (POSS). The CFD function reduced the RMSE (0.08 mm) relative to KUniversal (0.20 mm), KCARE (0.13 mm), and the unadjusted measurements (0.24 mm), with a bias error of 0.011 mm. The HE1 function provided a RMSE of 0.09 mm and bias error of 0.006 mm, capturing well the collection efficiency trends for rain and snow. The HE2 function better captured the overall collection efficiency, including mixed precipitation, resulting in a RMSE of 0.07 mm and bias error of 0.006 mm. These functions are assessed across solid and liquid hydrometeor types and for temperatures between -22 °C and 19 °C. The results demonstrate that transfer functions incorporating hydrometeor fall velocity can dramatically reduce the uncertainty of adjusted precipitation measurements relative to functions based on temperature.

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Hoover, Jeffery, Earle, Michael E, Joe, Paul (2021). Dataset: Unshielded precipitation gauge collection efficiency with wind speed and hydrometeor fall velocity. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.938685

DOI retrieved: 2021

Additional Info

Field Value
Imported on November 29, 2024
Last update November 29, 2024
License CC-BY-4.0
Source https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.938685
Author Hoover, Jeffery
Given Name Jeffery
Family Name Hoover
More Authors
Earle, Michael E
Joe, Paul
Source Creation 2021
Publication Year 2021
Resource Type text/tab-separated-values - filename: Hoover-etal_2021
Subject Areas
Name: Atmosphere

Name: LakesRivers

Name: Lithosphere

Related Identifiers
Title: Unshielded precipitation gauge collection efficiency with wind speed and hydrometeor fall velocity
Identifier: https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5473-2021
Type: DOI
Relation: References
Year: 2021
Source: Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
Authors: Hoover Jeffery , Earle Michael E , Joe Paul , Sullivan Pierre E .

Title: Precipitation gauge collection efficiency with wind speed and hydrometeor fall velocity - README
Type: DOI
Relation: References
Authors: Hoover Jeffery , Earle Michael E , Joe Paul , Sullivan Pierre E .