Classification of tropical convective and stratiform rains using a Micro rain radar and its effect on microwave radio signals in Akure

Micro Rain Radar (MRR-2) positioned at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (7° 15´N, 5° 15´E) was used for the measurements of rainfall parameters like the liquid water content, radar reflectivity, rain rates and the corresponding falling velocities. The measurement was carried out at the heights ranging from 0-4800 m with 30 different range gates of height steps 160m above sea level. The rain types were classified into Drizzle, Widespread Shower and Thunderstorm depending on the values of rain rates in mm/h Data collected for the rainy period of two years were used to determine the vertical profile of the Z - R relationship using the power law relation Z = a R^b for all the rain types. The result shows that the values of the correlation coefficients were all above 0.64 (except for thunderstorm in the year 2010) suggesting a good Z-R relationship. Values of the coefficients a and exponents b so obtained are very useful in predicting attenuation and the study of radar meteorology.