Comparison between multiparameter radar rainfall estimates and rain gauge measurements during convective storms over the Po valley

In this paper radar rainfall estimates obtained from C-band Doppler polarimetric weather radar GPM 500C are compared with rain gauge measurements collected by three rain gauge networks during a two months period from September 1 to October 30, 1996 when many convective thunderstorms developed over the Po valley area. In order to verify the capability and the accuracy of radar rainfall estimates two different techniques of comparison with the rain gauges have been analyzed: the first one is based on pointwise comparison of conventional and/or multiparameter radar estimates with the rain gauges measurements, the second utilizes the matching of the cumulative distribution function observed by the two sensors. The results are discussed considering two different areas, where the rain gauges are at a distance less than 40 km and at a distance ranging between 40 and 80 km, respectively.