Abstract
In this paper procedures are developed for estimating the mean field bias of radar rainfall estimates. Mean field bias is modeled as a random process that varies not only from storm to storm but also over the course of a storm. State estimates of mean field bias are based on hourly raingage data and hourly accumulations of radar rainfall estimates. The procedures are developed for the precipitation processing systems used with products of the Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) system. To implement the state estimation procedures, parameters of the bias model must be specified. Likelihood-based procedures are developed for estimating these parameters. A simulation experiment is carried out to assess performance of the parameter estimation procedure. Convergence of parameter estimators is rapid for the cases studied, with data from approximately 25 storms providing parameter estimates of acceptable accuracy. The state estimation procedures are applied to radar and raingage data from the 27 May 1987 storm, which was centered near the NSSL radar in Norman, Oklahoma. The results highlight dependence of the state estimation problem on the parameter estimation problem.
