The GPM Ground Validation NOAA Parsivel MC3E dataset was collected in central Oklahoma during the Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E) from April 5, 2011 through June 6, 2011. The NOAA Parsivel dataset includes processed data consisting of either moment data (e.g., reflectivity and rain rate estimates) or raindrop number concentration estimates; the data provided a reference reflectivity to calibrate the S-band profiler during the experiment. The moment data includes 1-minute resolution estimates of rain rate, reflectivity, and other parameters related to the health of the Parsivel instrument. The raindrop number concentration data are also at 1-minute resolution and are the result of converting the observed raindrop passing the sensor into the number of raindrops expected in a unit volume per diameter interval. Both the moment data and the number concentration data were saved in daily files in ASCII format. Daily images were also generated from the Parsivel observations and contain the 1-minute reflectivity, rain rate, and number concentration N(D); browse images are saved in TIF format.

The GPM Ground Validation NOAA UHF 449 Profiler MC3E dataset was collected during the NASA supported Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E). The overarching goal was to provide the most complete characterization of convective cloud systems, precipitation, and the environment that has ever been obtained, providing constraints for model cumulus parameterizations and space-based rainfall retrieval algorithms over land that had never before been available. The Ultra High Frequency 449 MHz profiler was one of three NOAA deployed instruments which also included a Parsivel and a 2.8 GHz profiler (S-Band). The 449 MHz profiler raw data files provide estimates of the vertical air motion during precipitation from near the surface to just below the freezing level. Used together with the S-band profiler, vertical profiles of raindrop size distributions can be retrieved. The raw 449MGx profiler data consists of uncalibrated Doppler velocity spectra data in units of relative power return.

The GPM Ground Validation Kumpula Mast Meteorological Data LPVEx dataset is comprised of temperature, radiation, and wind measurements collected by the Station for Measuring Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations III (SMEAR III) Kumpula Mast in Helsinki, Finland. This occurred during the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission Light Precipitation Validation Experiment (LPVEx) field campaign. This field campaign took place around the Gulf of Finland, aiming to provide additional high-latitude, light rainfall measurements for the improvement of GPM satellite precipitation algorithms. These meteorological dataset files are available from September 17 through October 21, 2010 in ASCII text format.

The GPM Ground Validation NASA ER-2 Navigation Data MC3E dataset contains information recorded by an on board navigation recorder (NavRec). In addition to typical navigation data (e.g. date, time, lat/lon and altitude) it contains outside meteorological parameters such as wind speed, wind direction, and temperature. These ASCII text files were recorded every second for the length of the flight. The Flight Summaries and Flight Track Imagery dataset which includes sonde maps, radar animation, and 5-minute KICT track snapshots is distributed with this dataset.

The GPM Ground Validation Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Images MC3E dataset consists of browse only images showing radar reflectivity, radar echo top, convective available potential energy (CAPE), temperature, geopotential height, wind speed, relative humidity, rain water, snow, cloud water, cloud ice, and graupel. These data were simulated by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) for the period of the GPM Ground Validation Mid-latitude Continental Convective Cloud Experiment (MC3E) field campaign. The overarching goal of the MC3E field campaign was to provide the most complete characterization of convective cloud systems, precipitation, and the environment ever obtained and to provide new constraints for model cumulus parameterizations and space-based rainfall retrieval algorithms over land. Browse imagery files in PNG and GIF formats are available for April 19, 2011 through June 6, 2011.

GPM GV Parsivel UConn

The GPM Ground Validation Physicum Building Mast Meteorological Data LPVEx dataset consists of meteorological data (temperature, pressure, wind, precipitation, and radiation) collected from the Station for Measuring Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations III (SMEAR III) at the University of Helsinki’s Physicum building rooftop weather station in Helsinki, Finland. These data were collected during the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission Light Precipitation Validation Experiment (LPVEx) field campaign that took place around the Gulf of Finland, aiming to provide additional high-latitude, light rainfall measurements for the improvement of GPM satellite precipitation algorithms. These meteorological data files are available from September 16 through October 22, 2010 in ASCII-CSV and ASCII text formats.

The GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada (EC) Weather Station XET C3VP dataset consists of surface meteorological data collected at the Environment Canada (EC) XET station at the Centre for Atmospheric Research Experiments (CARE) during the Canadian CloudSat/CALIPSO Validation Project (C3VP) field campaign. The campaign took place in southern Canada in support of multiple science missions, including the NASA GPM mission, in order to improve the modeling and remote sensing of winter precipitation. The XET C3VP dataset file includes temperature, pressure, wind speed and direction, relative humidity, solar radiation, grass temperature, soil temperature, snow depth, sunshine, and precipitation measurements from October 4, 2006 through March 31, 2007 in ASCII-csv format.

The GPM Ground Validation Albert Head (AHD) Ground Meteorological Station (MET) OLYMPEX dataset consists of precipitation rate, reflectivity, pressure, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and wind direction data which were measured by the MET station instruments operated by the Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and located in Albert Head, B.C., Canada. The MET station was comprised of a Vaisala FD12P Visibility Sensor, an OTT Parsivel2 Present Weather Sensor, an OTT Pluvio2 Precipitation Gauge, and a Vaisala WXT520 Weather Transmitter. The MET Station was also co-located with a CAX-1 radar to compare measurements from the MET station with the radar scans. These MET Station data files are available from November 13, 2015 through January 17, 2016 in ASCII-CSV and XML formats, with daily browse images of precipitation rate plots in PNG format.