Radar hydrometeorology using a vertically pointing radar

A Vertically Pointing Radar (VPR) has been commissioned and deployed at a n umber of sites in southern England, to investigate numerically spatial and temporal variations in the vertical reflectivity profile (Z(vp)); particula rly those associated with the intersection by the radar beam of a melting l ayer - the bright band. Comparisons with data from other instrumentation, n otably with the S-band research radar at Chilbolton, but also with disdrome ter data and rainfall measurements from a number of sophisticated rain gaug es, show that VPR scans of the atmosphere provide detailed and reliable qua ntitative measurements of the Z(vp). Analysis of a three year archive of Z( vp) data for Manchester has shown a bright band to be present in over 80% o f rainfall events, highlighting the extent of the problem of bright band er rors in scanning weather radar data. The primary characteristics of the bri ght band such as the height and magnitude (in dBZ) of the top, bottom and p eak are identified objectively from VPR Z(vp) data by an automatic bright b and recognition algorithm. It is envisaged that this approach could form th e basis of an objective, automatic real time correction procedure for scann ing weather radars.