LAUSR

In this study, we propose a new way to obtain motion vectors using the integrating velocity–azimuth process (IVAP) method for extrapolation nowcasting. Traditional tracking methods rely on tracking radar echoes of a few time slices. In contrast, the IVAP method does not depend on the past variation of radar echoes; it only needs the radar echo and radial velocity observations at the latest time. To demonstrate it is practical to use IVAP-retrieved winds to extrapolate radar echoes, we carried out nowcasting experiments using the IVAP method, and compared these results with the results using a traditional method, namely, the tracking radar echoes by correlation (TREC) method. Comparison based on a series of large-scale mature rainfall cases showed that the IVAP method has similar accuracy to that of the TREC method. In addition, the IVAP method provides the vertical wind profile that can be used to anticipate storm type and motion deviations.