In 2002, the Department of Meteorology at the University of Maryland began developing a prototype rain gauge-based ground validation site for Level 2 (instantaneous) satellite rainfall products. Aptly termed the Iowa City Airport Piconet, the site consists of a network of gauge sites, centered on the Iowa City, Iowa USA airport grounds. The sites are spaced on a 5 km square grid, which is approximately the size and spacing of the 89 GHz AMSR-E footprints for the rainfall estimates. The University of Iowa is providing a support infrastructure for this site, and IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering (formerly the Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research) staff and students maintain the site.

Iowa City, IA, Gauge Cluster Site Rainfall Data

Double Rain Gauge Network, Iowa