Storm depth‐area relations from digitized radar returns

The point‐derived precipitation frequency values depicted on maps must be converted to areal values for engineering and design work. Sparsity of data for quantifying this relation will be overcome as the National Weather Service implements its program to digitize radar return at its primary radar sites. A prototype project converts digitized radar data to precipitation. By averaging precipitation thus derived over discrete area sizes, depth‐area reduction curves are derived. While the data sample is presently very limited, this prototype can be applied to the expected accumulation of data from the future National Weather Service operational program.