Development of orographic heavy rainfall retrieval from space-borne microwave radiometers

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In this study, we improve the performance of estimates made using a satellite-borne passive microwave radiometer algorithm for orographic heavy rainfall. An orographic/nonorographic rainfall classification scheme is developed on the basis of orographically forced upward vertical motion and the convergence ofsurface moisture flux estimated from ancillary data. Lookup tables derived from orographic precipitation profiles are used to estimate rainfall for an orographic rainfall pixel, whereas those derived from original precipitation profiles are used to estimate rainfall for a nonorographic rainfall pixel. Rainfall estimates made using the revised algorithm are in better agreement with estimates from data obtained by the spaceborne radar and by ground radars than are estimates made using the original algorithm.