Weather Radar Handbook explains all the details of identifying severe storms, hurricanes, and everyday weather
using conventional, Doppler, and the new dual-polarization radars which are coming online. Like our other
books, this title is designed for operational forecasters and is written at the undergraduate level,
avoiding the use of technical detail and math, describing the principles of radar technology in a clear and
no-nonsense manner, with trivia, tips, and anecdotes. It also serves as a valuable quick-reference.
Weather Radar Handbook will become the "orange book" in our Forecaster's Desk Reference series.
Contents
1 History
1.1. A prelude to weather radar / 1
1.2. Weather radar in the United States / 2
1.3. Weather radar around the world / 9
2 Fundamentals
2.1. Properties of electromagnetic waves / 15
2.2. Radar energy / 18
2.3. Radar energy / 22
2.4. The radar beam / 26
2.5. Volumetric scanning / 32
2.6. Visualization / 34
2.7. WSR-88D / 39
2.8. TDWR / 42
3 Reflectivity
3.1. Problems affecting reflectivity data / 47
3.2. Precipitation / 50
3.3. Thunderstorms / 52
3.4. Squall lines / 59
4 Velocity
4.1. Velocity processing / 63
4.2. Display standards / 69
4.3. Volumetric signatures / 70
4.4. Localized signatures / 71
4.5. Spectrum width / 77
4.6. Wind profile products / 79
5 Polarimetry
5.1. The basics of polarimetry / 87
5.2. Differential reflectivity (ZDR) / 88
5.3. Correlation coefficient (CC, rho, rHV) / 90
5.4. Differential propagation phase (fdp) / 91
5.5. Specific differential phase (Kdp, KDP) / 91
5.6. Linear depolarization ratio (LDR) / 92
5.7. Polarimetric algorithms and derived products / 92
5.8. Differential diagnosis / 95
5.9. Features and phenomena / 97
5.10. Filtering / 99 |
6 Derived Products
6.1. Composite reflectivity / 103
6.2. Vertically integrated liquid / 104
6.3. Echo tops / 105
6.4. Precipitation estimation / 106
6.5. Storm detection algorithm / 109
6.6. Mesocyclone detection algorithms / 110
6.7. Tornado detection algorithms / 111
6.8. Hail detection algorithms / 111
6.9. Storm relative velocity / 113
6.10. Velocity azimuth display / 113
6.11. VAD wind profile / 113
7 Forecast Integration
7.1. Quiescent weather / 117
7.2. Boundaries / 118
7.3. Stratiform precipitation / 119
7.4. Convective precipitation / 119
7.5. Winter weather / 122
7.6. Tropical cyclones / 125
Appendix
Common radar abbreviations and variables / 135
Range-height diagram / 136
Storm motion nomogram / 137
NEXRAD product codes / 138
Summary of typical polarimetric parameters / 139
United States NEXRAD coverage map / 140
List of WSR-88D builds / 142
WSR-88D Volume Coverage Pattern (VCP) reference / 144
WSR-88D Volume Coverage Pattern (VCP) / 144
References & recommended reading / 147
Index / 149 |
About the Author:
Tim Vasquez began a meteorology career in 1984 writing the weather page for a Dallas newspaper. From 1989 to 1998 he was an Air Force meteorologist and worked at two television stations. He developed the Digital Atmosphere weather analysis software system in use worldwide. Residing in Norman, Oklahoma, he is a software programmer, a consulting meteorologist, and a columnist for Weatherwise magazine.
Publication Date: 2013 / 8 x 10" / Perfect bound / 166 pp.
ISBN-13: 978-0-9832533-2-7
Cover: Glossy 4-color
Interior: Matte 4-color 70# 1