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24 Hour Multi-sensor Precipitation Estimates (MPE)
Preliminary data
Definitions
The MPE graphic shown in this section are Multisensor Precipitation Estimates, otherwise known as MPE data. The data used to produce this graphic is a combination of radar and precipitation gages. The image below are rainfall totals from June 22, 2006 8 AM EDT to June 30, 2006 at 8 AM EDT. Source: Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center.
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.