An Improved Scheme for Convective/Stratiform Echo Classification Using Radar Reflectivity

Abstract An improved algorithm for the partitioning of radar reflectivity into convective and stratiform rain classifications has been developed and tested using data from the Houston, Texas, Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler. The algorithm starts with output from the current operational version of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) convective/stratiform classification scheme for the ground-based validation sites and corrects the output based on physical characteristics of convective and stratiform rain diagnosed from the three-dimensional structure of the radar reflectivity field. The modified algorithm improved the performance of echo classification by correcting two main sources of error. Heavy stratiform rain, originally classified as convective, and the periphery of convective cores, originally classified as stratiform, were both reclassified by the modified algorithm. When applied to a large dataset of convective storms comprising squall lines, unorganized convection, and embedded ...