Machine Learning-driven Infilling of precipitation recordings over Germany

Weather radars are a significant component of modern precipitation recordings,as they provide information with high spatial and temporal resolution. However, radars as a tool for weather applications emerged only after the 1950s. AI/ML methods have proven to be successful when it comes to determining patterns and connections between related fields in space and time. Moreover, AI/ML methods have exhibited remarkable skill in infilling missing climate information (see Kadow et al. 2020). Desired outcomes of the project include using these AI/ML techniques to build a spatial precipitation field by combining station and radar data. We will use data from two well-known datasets: RADOLAN and COSMO-REA2. The validity of this digital twin will be investigated by comparing its output with other reanalysis data (e.g. ERA5). Further evaluation can be carried out by testing the radar field’s accuracy in detecting extreme precipitation events in the past (e.g. heavy rain events in the summer of 2021 in Western Germany). We aim for the creation of a radar field that will be successfully projected in the past. Moreover, it will uncover new information on regional climatology, especially in areas where station data is sparse.