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Met Eireann Rainfall Radar accuracy

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  • 16-04-2021 6:36pm
    #1
    lottpaul
    Registered Users Posts: 1,164 ✭✭✭


    I wondered what people's experiences are recently of the accuracy of the Met Eireann rainfall radar? I've always found it to be pretty good but today (Friday) it showed rain, sometimes heavy, for west Kerry for the entire afternoon. I was outdoors for the whole time and if 10 drops fell that was the most.

    A quick search of posts in the forum showed a few references to similar events in the last few months so I was just curious as to what experiences others have, if this is common etc.
    Many thanks.


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    #2
    DOCARCH
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 17,700 Mod ✭✭✭✭DOCARCH


    Sometimes the rain evaporates before it gets to the surface. The radar is not picking up rainfall at surface level.


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    #3
    pauldry
    Registered Users Posts: 6,877 ✭✭✭pauldry


    I suspect due to the low humidity due to High pressure and recent dry spell a lot of the rain is disappearing in midair. As humidity increases in the coming days though the rainfall the radar shows will be reaching ground level more readily.


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    #4
    Supercell
    Registered Users Posts: 15,322 ✭✭✭✭Supercell


    It is range is limited to an extent, I've often visited my sister in Collooney in Sligo and its been lashing there (it seems to never stop) with nothing on the radar.
    https://www.loughlinstown.ie

    Have a weather station?, why not join the Ireland Weather Network - http://irelandweather.eu/



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    #5
    The One Doctor
    Registered Users Posts: 2,339 ✭✭✭The One Doctor


    Supercell wrote: »
    It is range is limited to an extent, I've often visited my sister in Collooney in Sligo and its been lashing there (it seems to never stop) with nothing on the radar.

    It's probably picking up mountains, not rain.


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    #6
    Donegal Storm
    Registered Users Posts: 2,023 ✭✭✭Donegal Storm


    That problem has largely disappeared now they've added the NI radar on the website. Before that the radar was next to useless for us in the NW.

    I complained to ME about it years ago, got a response that they'd like another radar to improve coverage but couldn't afford it


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    #7
    Gaoth Laidir
    Registered Users Posts: 8,219 ✭✭✭Gaoth Laidir


    I blame a warm sector.


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    #8
    Gaoth Laidir
    Registered Users Posts: 8,219 ✭✭✭Gaoth Laidir


    lottpaul wrote: »
    I wondered what people's experiences are recently of the accuracy of the Met Eireann rainfall radar? I've always found it to be pretty good but today (Friday) it showed rain, sometimes heavy, for west Kerry for the entire afternoon. I was outdoors for the whole time and if 10 drops fell that was the most.

    A quick search of posts in the forum showed a few references to similar events in the last few months so I was just curious as to what experiences others have, if this is common etc.
    Many thanks.

    The Friday midday sounding from Valentia shows a deep dry inversion layer under the upper frontal surface (saturated layer from around 700 hPa upwards). Precipitation (snow) falling from that high up would have melted and melted and evaporated through that warm and dry layer.

    550594.png


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    #9
    Tyrone212
    Registered Users Posts: 1,570 ✭✭✭Tyrone212


    Is there any old threads/guides on how to check soundings for your local area and how to interpret it? Cheers.


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