Snow Microphysics Event during GCPEx Field Campaign

A synoptic scale snow event occurred on February 24, 2012 across southern Ontario. The event consisted of both stratiform (i.e., widespread) precipitation and convective bands that at times produced locally large amounts of snowfall over each of the five heavily-instrumented ground sites. What made this particular snow event so significant was that all the ground instruments were in operation and all three research aircraft sampled the cloud from above, within and below for several hours during the event. The multiple measurements allow researchers to construct a three-dimensional column of precipitation particle types, sizes and water volume content for analysis. The February 24th, 2012 snowfall event that occurred during the GPM Cold Season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) was intensely measured and the detailed observations have contributed to determining the relationships between the physical and radiative properties of falling snow. The pattern of snowfall observed during this well-sampled event helps scientists to determine the sources of measurement variability and the errors associated with both in situ measurements and remotely sensed snowfall retrievals. The determined uncertainties and other findings can then be utilized to improve the GPM snowfall retrieval algorithms.