The graphic below is a Multisensor Precipitation Estimates map, otherwise known as MPE data. The data used to produce this graphic is a combination of radar and precipitation gages. Click on the image below for a larger view.



When using MPE data, it is important to remember it is vulnerable to the same inaccuracies that can be caused by either radar or precipitation gages. For radar, problems would be: freezing or frozen precipitation, low topped convection, bright banding, the reflectivity/rainfall relationship in use, calibration of the radar, radar location and elevation, range degradation, and the radar's effective coverage. For precipitation gages, problems come from freezing precipitation, windy conditions, gage siting, undermeasurement by tipping bucket gages in high intensity rainfall, and gage maintenance.

Other recent heavy rainfall events...

• Flood of June 2006
• Flood of April 2005
• The "Ivan" Flood Event of September 17th - 18th, 2004

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