NESDIS GOES-R Quantitative Precipitation Estimates
NESDIS GOES-R Quantitative Precipitation Estimate (QPE) is a geostationary satellite-based rainfall estimation product suite that is currently in experimental operations over the GOES-East and GOES-West domains, including Alaska and Hawaii. GOES-R QPE is an Algorithm Working Group (AWG) baseline product that is being transitioned by NASA-SPoRT to partner NWS-WFOs for evaluation in support of ongoing AWG GOES-R Proving Ground efforts.
To produce a rainfall estimate, GOES-R QPE uses data from GOES satellites, specifically IR channels, as well as microwave data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission's Microwave Imager (TMI), and the Microwave Humidity Sounder on NOAA 18 and 19 and METOP-A.
Information from the IR channels on GOES provides data on cloud top properties, such as cloud top temperature. Rainfall rates can be inferred from this information. For example, in the case of a convective cloud, a very high, cold cloud top would likely correspond with strong updrafts and heavy rain rates. In fact, the IR channels perform very well at accurately estimating rain rates from convective clouds.
The microwave channels have an advantage over IR in that they can examine the varying ice and droplet sizes within the clouds, rather than just the cloud tops, and from these microphysical characteristics, a more accurate estimate of rain rate can be produced. However, there is no geostationary microwave platform available, so the temporal latency and spatial resolution somewhat limit the utility of the microwave data for this product suite.
The two components, IR and microwave data, are combined by using the using the more accurate microwave-derived rain rates to calibrate the more widely available IR-derived rain rates.
The GOES-R QPE product suite contains a 15-minute product, as well as a number of accumulation products over several hours or days, in units of inches/hr. The resolution of the products is 4 km, and the domain includes all of CONUS, Alaska, and Hawaii. These products can be used to compare to or verify model data and assess flood risk.
View real-time data: AHI, GOES-R
