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https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-78
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-78
29 Apr 2024
 | 29 Apr 2024
Status: a revised version of this preprint is currently under review for the journal HESS.

Leveraging a Disdrometer Network to Develop a Probabilistic Precipitation Phase Model in Eastern Canada

Alexis Bédard-Therrien, François Anctil, Julie M. Thériault, Olivier Chalifour, Fanny Payette, Alexandre Vidal, and Daniel F. Nadeau

Abstract. This study presents a probabilistic model that partitions the precipitation phase based on hourly measurements from a network of radar-based disdrometers in eastern Canada. The network consists of 27 meteorological stations located in a boreal climate for the years 2020–2023. Precipitation phase observations showed a 2-m air temperature interval between 0–4 °C where probabilities of occurrence of solid, liquid, or mixed precipitation significantly overlapped. Single-phase precipitation was also found to occur more frequently than mixed-phase precipitation. Probabilistic phase-guided partitioning (PGP) models of increasing complexity using random forest algorithms were developed. The PGP models classified the precipitation phase and partitioned the precipitation accordingly into solid and liquid amounts. PGP_basic is based on 2-m air temperature and site elevation, while PGP_hydromet integrates relative humidity. PGP_full includes all the above data plus atmospheric reanalysis data. The PGP models were compared to benchmark precipitation phase partitioning methods. These included a single temperature threshold model set at 1.5 °C, a linear transition model with dual temperature thresholds of –0.38 and 5 °C, and a psychrometric balance model. Among the benchmark models, the single temperature threshold had the best classification performance (F1 score of 0.74) due to a low count of mixed-phase events. The other benchmark models tended to over-predict mixed-phase precipitation in order to decrease partitioning error. All PGP models showed significant phase classification improvement by reproducing the observed overlapping precipitation phases based on 2-m air temperature. PGP_hydromet and PGP_full displayed the best classification performance (F1 score of 0.84). In terms of partitioning error, PGP_full had the lowest RMSE (0.27 mm) and the least variability in performance. The RMSE of the single temperature threshold model was the highest (0.40 mm) and showed the greatest performance variability. An input variable importance analysis revealed that the additional data used in the more complex PGP models mainly improved mixed-phase precipitation prediction. The improvement of mixed-phase prediction remains a challenge. Relative humidity was deemed the least important input variable used, due to consistent near water vapor saturation conditions. Additionally, the reanalysis atmospheric data proved to be an important factor to increase the robustness of the partitioning process. This study establishes a basis for integrating automated phase observations into a hydrometeorological observation network and developing probabilistic precipitation phase models.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
Alexis Bédard-Therrien, François Anctil, Julie M. Thériault, Olivier Chalifour, Fanny Payette, Alexandre Vidal, and Daniel F. Nadeau

Status: final response (author comments only)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on hess-2024-78', Anonymous Referee #1, 28 May 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Alexis Bédard-Therrien, 01 Aug 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on hess-2024-78', Anonymous Referee #2, 30 May 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Alexis Bédard-Therrien, 01 Aug 2024
  • RC3: 'Comment on hess-2024-78', James Feiccabrino, 11 Jun 2024
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC3', Alexis Bédard-Therrien, 01 Aug 2024
Alexis Bédard-Therrien, François Anctil, Julie M. Thériault, Olivier Chalifour, Fanny Payette, Alexandre Vidal, and Daniel F. Nadeau

Data sets

Data for "Leveraging a Disdrometer Network to Develop a Probabilistic Precipitation Phase Model in Eastern Canada" Alexis Bédard-Therrien et al. https://zenodo.org/records/10790810

Alexis Bédard-Therrien, François Anctil, Julie M. Thériault, Olivier Chalifour, Fanny Payette, Alexandre Vidal, and Daniel F. Nadeau

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Short summary
Observations from a study site network in eastern Canada showed a temperature interval the overlapping probabilities for rain, snow or a mix of both. Models using random forest algorithms were developed to classify the precipitation phase using meteorological data to evaluate operational applications. They showed significantly improved phase classification compared to benchmarks, but misclassification led to costlier errors. However, accurate prediction of mixed phase remains a challenge.