Evaluation of high resolution NWP simulations with radar data

The areal character of radar information is used to validate the simulation results of different mesoscale models (DM, MC2) for a summertime convectiv e precipitation event in the northern Alpine region. Assembling the radar d ata of different radar sites into a multinational radar composite enables t he qualitative comparison with NWP model data on the mesoscale. Moreover wi nd data of the dopplerized research radar at DLR Oberpfaffenhofen is exploi ted to evaluate the model dynamics in the vicinity of the radar site. The i nvestigation of the complex structure of a summertime rainfall event (i) hi ghlights the benefit of areal radar data in validating mesoscale model resu lts as well as (ii) exhibits the gain in quality attainable using higher re solution models (Delta approximate to 2 km) with fully explicit (grid-scale ) precipitation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.