In-Place Estimation of Wet Radome Attenuation at X Band

AbstractThe effect of wet radome attenuation is estimated on a French operational X-band weather radar deployed in the Maritime Alps of southeastern France. As the radar is deployed in a remote location, the reflectivity factor in the immediate vicinity of the radar is used as a proxy for rain rate at the radar and by extension, to the radome wetting. By means of intercomparison with a neighboring radar that lacks a radome, a wet radome correction is deduced. The correction is reasonably consistent with theoretical expectations and with other evaluations done, for example, via disdrometer. The improvement is evaluated by comparison to a Micro Rain Radar located under the point of comparison, and the impact on quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE) retrievals is positive. The intercomparison of such observations permits a routine means of monitoring radome attenuation.