From Backyard to Orbit

Comparing rain gauges to satellite precipitation

estimates.George HuffmanBetsy Youngman

Brooke CarterSusan BlunckRob Simmon

Precipitation Data Sources

NOAA/National Weather Service Station Datahttp://nws.noaa.gov/

Cocorahs/rainlog/backyard rain gaugeshttp://www.cocorahs.org/

GPCP Multi-Sensor precipitation Estimateshttp://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/precipitation/TOVAS_ad.shtml

Rain Gauge Data

Citizen scientists will either collect their own data or use precipitation data from a local weather station. (Participants will be encouraged to join an organized gauge network.) They will compare these data to other local measurements and historical records. If interested, they can use publicly available data to study noteworthy weather events like floods, droughts, or severe storms in other locations.

Satellite Precipitation Estimates

Citizen scientists will compare ground based measurements with satellite estimates using Global Precipitation Climatology Project data and GIOVANNI (a web-based tool for viewing and subsetting data). Observers will address the questions:

Why does my data differ from my neighbor’s?

How do current conditions compare to the past?

How many rain gauges are required to accurately measure regional precipitation?

How many rain gauges are are needed to accurately observe one satellite grid cell?

What changes occur with the seasons in my area?

How does my area compare to other regions?