SRI: Surface Rainfall Intensity

SRI provides input for the RAIN1 product to obtain the best possible estimates of accumulated precipitation even at longer ranges from the radar.

Vertical reflectivity profile is the most important source of error in radar rainfall measurements in cool and moderate climates.

The upper parts of precipitating clouds typically give a weaker echo than the cloud base, except near melting layer where the echo is much stronger. Thus a correction is needed to estimate surface rainfall intensity.

IRIS SRI allows you to apply your local knowledge by providing ways to input information about the reflectivity profile, as well as methods to make educated first guesses.

SRI distinguishes convective cases from large scale precipitation, and applies the correction only to the latter. For convective precipitation, the value of the lowest clutter free bin is shown.