Topic: Radar Returns

[ocala]

Question for those in the know.
The attached pic shows a decent storm over the house. Problem is it's hardly raining. This event went on for about a half hour and I received about a quarter inch. PWAT in the area is about 2 inch's meaning there is a lot of moisture in the atmosphere to work with. This whole week has been pretty wet with even light returns on the radar producing a moderate rain.
Just curious why this happens. This is the second time I have seen this this year.
 

[CW2274]

Just because your pw is high doesn't mean you have the dynamics to wring it out. All I see is garden variety t-storms and the rain you got, is the rain you got.

[ValentineWeather]

I'm not seeing much around Ocala on base, a short lived area to NE but nothing held together.

http://www.valentinenebraska.net/wxusradars.php

[kcidwx]

The storms that had high PWAT values had low PE (precipitation efficiency).

[Farmtalk]

What did the radar estimate as total rainfall?

[ocala]

Unfortunately I didn't check that.

[ValentineWeather]

Unfortunately I didn't check that.

Was first thing I looked at, but couldn't figure out your exact location on loop. 

[ClaireAnderson]

Yes precipitation efficiency is an important physical parameter in convective systems and has a crucial role to play in determining the rainfall intensity.

[Farmtalk]

I agree on the precipitation efficiency. If you look, the radar beam is over 10,000 feet above sea level over your location, so I think it definitely plays a role. Very interesting circumstance though, I still would have expected plenty of precipitation.

[LFWX]

I agree on the precipitation efficiency. If you look, the radar beam is over 10,000 feet above sea level over your location, so I think it definitely plays a role. Very interesting circumstance though, I still would have expected plenty of precipitation.

That would be the elevation relative to the radar, not sea level (but nearly the same in Florida), at the location of his mouse pointer when he captured the image...also note the dbz listed for that point is "ND" (no data).

ocala, what elevation is shown when you place the pointer over your location?

[ocala]

I agree on the precipitation efficiency. If you look, the radar beam is over 10,000 feet above sea level over your location, so I think it definitely plays a role. Very interesting circumstance though, I still would have expected plenty of precipitation.

That would be the elevation relative to the radar, not sea level (but nearly the same in Florida), at the location of his mouse pointer when he captured the image...also note the dbz listed for that point is "ND" (no data).

ocala, what elevation is shown when you place the pointer over your location?

9212