Wide-area, long-term satellite rain estimation using GOES high resolution imagery

Initial results are presented from a simple technique that has been developed to investigate the utility of satellite rain estimation over the intermountain west of the United States during the summer season. Gage information is relatively sparse over this region, and convective rainfall is strongly modulated by orographic influences; the semiarid character of the region often results in substantial evaporation of precipitation beneath high cloud bases. The rain estimation technique described here obtains results that are generally comparable with the Adler/Negri CST technique.