Articles | Volume 19, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2125-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2125-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
27 Mar 2026
Research article |
| 27 Mar 2026
| 27 Mar 2026
First nationwide analysis of riming using vertical observations from the operational German C-band radar network
Paul Ockenfuß
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Meteorologisches Institut, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Germany
Michael Frech
German Meteorological Service (Deutscher Wetterdienst, DWD), Observatorium Hohenpeißenberg, Hohenpeißenberg, Germany
Mathias Gergely
German Meteorological Service (Deutscher Wetterdienst, DWD), Observatorium Hohenpeißenberg, Hohenpeißenberg, Germany
Stefan Kneifel
Meteorologisches Institut, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Germany
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Short summary
The 17 operational German weather radars regularly point vertical for calibration. We proof that this data also contains valuable scientific information. To demonstrate this, we use it to detect the melting level in clouds and strong snowflake riming. Riming is the collision of a snowflake with liquid droplets, which can create precipitation. We analyze the frequency and temperature dependence of riming for all German weather radar sites and relate it to the local precipitation climatology.
The 17 operational German weather radars regularly point vertical for calibration. We proof that...
