Validation of satellite rainfall products over Greece

Six widely available satellite precipitation products were extensively validated and intercompared on monthly-to-seasonal timescales and various spatial scales, for the period 1998–2006, using a dense station network over Greece. Satellite products were divided into three groups according to their spatial resolution. The first group had high spatial (0.5°) resolution and consists only of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) products: the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) precipitation product (3A12) and the TRMM multisatellite precipitation analysis products (3B42 and 3B43). The second group comprised products with medium spatial (1°) resolution. These products included the TRMM 3B42 and 3B43 estimates (remapped to 1° resolution) and the Global Precipitation Climatology Project one-degree daily (GPCP-1DD) analysis. The third group consisted of low spatial (2.5°) resolution products and included the 3B43 product (remapped to 2.5° resolution), the GPCP Satellite and Gauge (GPCP-SG) product, and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center (NOAA-CPC) Merged Analysis (CMAP). Rain gauge data were first gridded and then compared with monthly and seasonal precipitation totals as well as with long-term averages of the six satellite products at different spatial resolutions (2.5°, 1°, and 0.5°). The results demonstrated the excellent performance of the 3B43 product over Greece in all three spatial scales. 3B42 from the first and second group and CMAP from the third exhibited a reasonable skill.     

我国高分辨率降水融合资料的适用性评估

利用国家气象信息中心研制的全国30000多个地面自动站降水与 CMORPH (Climate Prediction Center Morphing technique)卫星反演降水融合而成的融合降水产品,分析了融合降水平均偏差和均方根误差的时空分布特征,探讨了不同降水量级以及站点稀疏区和密集区的融合效果,结果表明：融合降水的平均偏差和均方根误差量值均较卫星反演降水有显著减小,随时间的变化幅度不大且误差的区域性差异减弱;融合降水不同量级降水日数分布接近于地面观测降水,虽高估了雨强小于等于4 mm/d的降水,低估了大于4 mm/d高值降水,但同一量级下的误差比卫星反演降水大幅减小,且随着降水强度的增加改善效果明显;站点密集区的融合降水值主要是取决于地面观测降水;站点稀疏区在没有站点分布时,融合降水值主要取决于卫星反演降水,但随着站点个数增加,地面观测降水在融合降水中所占比重逐渐增大,且超过了卫星反演降水的作用。可见融合降水充分有效利用了地面观测降水和卫星反演降水各自的优势,融合效果明显。     

基于贝叶斯融合方法的高分辨率地面-卫星-雷达三源降水融合试验

为了探讨一种适用于区域性的地面、雷达、卫星等多源降水资料融合的方法,一种曾用于高分辨雷达、卫星土壤湿度产品反演的贝叶斯融合(Bayesian Merging)方法被尝试应用于江淮地区1 h-0.05°×0.05°经纬度高分辨率的雷达估测降水、卫星反演降水与地面站点观测降水3种资料的融合。在应用该方法时,通过2009年8月样本统计分别估计卫星和雷达反演降水的误差关系,通过曲线拟合建立误差方程,并以卫星资料作为背景场,但在融合时将雷达估测降水作为新的观测信息与地面观测降水同时引入。融合试验检验结果表明:贝叶斯融合方法能够有效实现雷达、地面、卫星3种不同来源资料的融合,该方法生成的多源融合产品的精度均优于任何单一来源的降水产品。     

中国区域逐日融合降水数据集与国际降水产品的对比评估

中国国家气象信息中心基于2400多个国家级台站观测日降水量和CMORPH卫星反演降水产品,采用概率密度匹配和最优插值相结合的两步数据融合方法,研制了中国区域1998年以来的0.25°×0.25°分辨率的逐日融合降水产品(CMPA_Daily)。通过该数据集与广泛应用于中国天气气候领域的两种国际上降水融合产品TRMM 3B42(Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, 3B42)和GPCP(Global Precipitation Climatology Project, 1 degree daily)的对比评估,考察CMPA_Daily产品的质量,评价其能否合理体现中国降水的天气气候特征。首先利用2008—2010年5—9月独立检验数据定量对比了CMPA_Daily、TRMM 3B42和GPCP 三种降水产品的误差,结果表明,在误差的时间变化和空间分布上,CMPA_Daily均具有最高的相关系数和最小的平均偏差及均方根误差,TRMM 3B42其次,GPCP的误差相对较大。CMPA_Daily只低估了大暴雨,TRMM 3B42低估了大雨以上量级的降水,而GPCP低估了除小雨以外的所有降水。CMPA_Daily产品因融入了更多的站点观测信息,不论在中国东部沿海,还是中西部地形复杂区,其精度均优于TRMM 3B42和GPCP产品,即使在站点稀疏的青藏高原地区,CMPA_Daily降水量也更加接近站点观测,呈现明显的高相关。CMPA_Daily与独立检验数据的高相关在地形起伏时效果也较稳定,TRMM和GPCP的相关系数则随着地形变化幅度陡变而非常明显地降低。进一步通过对比分析各降水产品1998—2012年的气候平均降水特征表明,3种资料对中国区域气候平均降水量、降水强度、频率分布以及年际变化的总体描述基本一致,因有效融入了更多的中国站点观测信息,不论降水空间分布还是降水量,CMPA_Daily与地面观测均最为接近,在中国的中东部大部分地区对降水的估计精度明显更高,而在站点分布较稀疏的青藏高原地区,CMPA_Daily的降水分布型与TRMM、GPCP卫星融合资料类似,较地面站点插值产品更能体现出合理的降水分布。对中国强降水事件监测对比表明,CMPA_Daily产品可以更加准确地描述降水的强度变化,细致刻画降水空间分布,在把握降水小尺度特征上具有明显的优势,体现出高分辨率、高精度降水产品的特点。     

Uncertainties in the GSWP-2 precipitation forcing and their impacts on regional and global hydrological simulations

The Global Soil Wetness Project (GSWP) is an international initiative aimed at producing global data sets of soil wetness and energy and water fluxes by driving land surface models with state-of-the-art 1° by 1° atmospheric forcing and land surface parameters. It also provides a unique opportunity to develop and test land surface parameterizations at the global scale, using multi-year off-line simulations that are not affected by the systematic errors found in atmospheric models. Nevertheless, the accuracy and reliability of the 10?year GSWP-2 atmospheric forcing remain questionable. A first comparison using the high-resolution Rhône-AGGregation (Rhône-AGG) database reveals that the baseline GSWP-2 precipitation forcing is drastically overestimated over the Rhône river basin. Hydrological simulations driven with each dataset and using the ISBA land surface model and the MODCOU river routing model are also compared. The simulated river discharges are validated against a dense network of river gauges and are generally less realistic when using the GSWP-2 instead of the Rhône-AGG precipitation forcing. Secondly, the GSWP-2 precipitation forcing is compared with three alternative data sets (GPCP-2, CRU-2, CMAP) at the global scale. Moreover, the results of a global sensitivity study to the precipitation forcing conducted with six land surface models are shown. The TRIP river routing model is used to convert daily runoff from all models into river discharges, which are compared at 80 gauging stations distributed over the globe. In agreement with the regional evaluation, the results reveal that the baseline GSWP-2 precipitation forcing is generally overestimated over the mid and high latitudes, which implies systematic errors in the simulated discharges. This study reveals that the empirical wind corrections applied to the GSWP-2 precipitation forcing are exaggerated, whereas the GPCP satellite adjustments seem to be useful for simulating realistic annual mean river discharges over the East Siberian river basins.     

我国逐日降水量格点化方法

国家气象信息中心(NMIC)和美国大气海洋局气候预测中心合作开发了"中国逐日格点降水量实时分析系统(V1.0)",并已在NMIC投入业务试运行。该系统基于我国2419个国家级地面气象站日降水量观测(08:00—08:00,北京时)数据,采用"基于气候背景场"的最优插值方法,实时生成空间分辨率为0.5°×0.5°的格点化日降水量资料。通过对汛期典型区域和单站降水过程的对比分析表明:该格点化产品的精度较高,能准确捕捉并再现每一次降水过程。误差分析表明:约91%的数据绝对误差小于1.0 mm/d。该产品在定量分析天气实况、检验天气气候模式精度、检验卫星产品精度等方面有应用前景。     

Are satellite products good proxies for gauge precipitation over Singapore?

The uncertainties in two high-resolution satellite precipitation products (TRMM 3B42 v7.0 and GSMaP v5.222) were investigated by comparing them against rain gauge observations over Singapore on sub-daily scales. The satellite-borne precipitation products are assessed in terms of seasonal, monthly and daily variations, the diurnal cycle, and extreme precipitation over a 10-year period (2000–2010). Results indicate that the uncertainties in extreme precipitation is higher in GSMaP than in TRMM, possibly due to the issues such as satellite merging algorithm, the finer spatio-temporal scale of high intensity precipitation, and the swath time of satellite. Such discrepancies between satellite-borne and gauge-based precipitations at sub-daily scale can possibly lead to distorting analysis of precipitation characteristics and/or application model results. Overall, both satellite products are unable to capture the observed extremes and provide a good agreement with observations only at coarse time scales. Also, the satellite products agree well on the late afternoon maximum and heavier rainfall of gauge-based data in winter season when the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is located over Singapore. However, they do not reproduce the gauge-observed diurnal cycle in summer. The disagreement in summer could be attributed to the dominant satellite overpass time (about 14:00 SGT) later than the diurnal peak time (about 09:00 SGT) of gauge precipitation. From the analyses of extreme precipitation indices, it is inferred that both satellite datasets tend to overestimate the light rain and frequency but underestimate high intensity precipitation and the length of dry spells. This study on quantification of their uncertainty is useful in many aspects especially that these satellite products stand scrutiny over places where there are no good ground data to be compared against. This has serious implications on climate studies as in model evaluations and in particular, climate model simulated future projections, when information on precipitation extremes need to be reliable as they are highly crucial for adaptation and mitigation.     

基于雷达—雨量计降水融合方法提高极端降水监测能力

高时空分辨率、高精度的降水产品对于极端降水的监测以及防灾减灾具有重要意义。地面雨量计提供点尺度降水精确观测,但无法精细化捕捉对流性强降水的空间分布。雷达观测可以精细地刻画降水的空间分布特征,但雷达定量估计降水（QPE,quantitative precipitation estimation）产品估测精度易受雷达观测偏差和Z–R（雷达反射率—降水率）关系等因素影响。因此,本文开展高时空分辨率的雷达—雨量计降水融合算法研究,集成雨量计观测和雷达定量估计降水产品各自的优点。该算法主要步骤包括:雨量站观测数据格点化、局地雨量计订正雷达QPE和雷达—雨量计降水融合三个部分。首先利用克里金插值方法,对雨量站观测的降水进行插值,得到格点降水信息;再通过局地雨量计订正方法系统性地订正雷达QPE产品,以提高雷达QPE产品精度;最后,结合降水类型,通过雷达—雨量计降水融合算法,产生高时空分辨率、高精度的雷达—雨量计降水融合产品。通过郑州“21·7”暴雨、台风“烟花”和2021年8月随州暴雨三个典型的极端降水个例,对雷达—雨量计降水融合算法产生的雷达—雨量计降水融合产品进行了系统地评估和分析。结果表明,在不同的极端降水个例和不同的降水时段,雷达—雨量计降水融合产品精度上优于雷达QPE产品,且在降水的空间分布上较雨量站观测格点插值产品更能精细地刻画降水的结构特征。表明算法得到的雷达—雨量计降水融合产品的准确性较高,对极端降水有较好地捕捉和监测能力。     

概率密度匹配法对中国区域卫星降水资料的改进

为考察概率密度匹配法 (PDF方法) 对中国区域卫星反演降水产品系统误差订正的适用性,基于逐日和逐时我国地面观测降水量资料,引入PDF方法,分别对逐日0.25°×0.25°水平分辨率和逐时0.1°×0.1°水平分辨率的CMORPH (Climate Prediction Center Morphing Technique) 卫星降水产品的系统误差进行订正。在分析CMORPH卫星降水产品误差特征的基础上,根据两种资料不同的时空分辨率和误差特点,调整概率密度匹配时选取样本的时间和空间范围,设计相应的订正方案。评估结果表明: PDF方法订正后, 两种分辨率卫星降水资料在中国区域系统误差均显著减小,达到了理想的订正效果。在我国站点稀疏的西部地区,订正后的CMORPH卫星降水产品仍保持卫星观测的降水空间分布,降水量也明显接近于地面观测降水量。可见,PDF方法是中国区域卫星反演降水产品系统误差订正的一种有效方法。     

GPM卫星和地面雷达对江苏盐城龙卷风强降水估测的对比

为综合评估卫星和天气雷达在2016年6月23日盐城龙卷风期间的强降水过程的降水估测精度,以国家级雨量站观测数据为基准,结合相关系数(CC)、相对误差(RB)、均方根误差(RMSE)以及分级评分指标,利用S波段的天气雷达定量降雨估测产品(RQPE)和全球降水观测计划多卫星融合产品(IMERG_FRCal,IMERG_FRUncal,IMERG_ERCal)进行比较。结果表明,雷达和卫星的累积降水量与雨量站的空间相关性很强(相关系数大于0.9),基本上能捕捉到整个降水过程的空间分布。降水主要分布在江苏省北部,但卫星高估了江苏省东北部强降水中心的降水量;对于小时时序区域平均降水,卫星高估了降水,而雷达低估了累积降水量。综合降水中心区域分析,IMERG的强降水区域降水量与雨量站的时间序列的偏差显著;RQPE在降水峰值达到之前及峰值之后与地面雨量站的变化趋势基本一致,但对降雨量峰值有明显的偏低。RQPE能较为准确地在时间上捕捉到降雨强度的变化趋势,但对于大雨及暴雨的估测能力不佳;RQPE的POD、SCI值都远远高于IMERG, FAR也较小。IMERG几乎未能监测到强降水的发生。总体上,RQPE对此次龙卷风强降水量的估测表现优于3种IMERG产品,特别是在捕捉强降水区域的空间分布方面,但对于强降水的估测能力仍需进一步改善。     

Improvement of radar quantitative precipitation estimation based on real-time adjustments to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Z-R</Emphasis> relationships and inverse distance weighting correction schemes

The errors in radar quantitative precipitation estimations consist not only of systematic biases caused by random noises but also spatially nonuniform biases in radar rainfall at individual rain-gauge stations.In this study,a real-time adjustment to the radar reflectivity-rainfall rates(Z-R) relationship scheme and the gauge-corrected,radar-based,estimation scheme with inverse distance weighting interpolation was developed.Based on the characteristics of the two schemes,the two-step correction technique of radar quantitative precipitation estimation is proposed.To minimize the errors between radar quantitative precipitation estimations and rain gauge observations,a real-time adjustment to the Z-R relationship scheme is used to remove systematic bias on the time-domain.The gauge-corrected,radar-based,estimation scheme is then used to eliminate non-uniform errors in space.Based on radar data and rain gauge observations near the Huaihe River,the two-step correction technique was evaluated using two heavy-precipitation events.The results show that the proposed scheme improved not only in the underestimation of rainfall but also reduced the root-mean-square error and the mean relative error of radar-rain gauge pairs.     

卫星雷达联合重构大尺度流域降水场

给出了一种用GMS-5卫星估计3h降水的方法,并利用地面测雨雷达和卡尔曼滤波器提取误差因子,用于在雷达探测范围以外校准卫星估计的降水,从而获得大尺度流域的(淮河流域)降水分布。在史灌河子流域的比较试验表明：卫星雷达联合重构的降水场具有比卫星估计降水更高的精度,3h降水估计的相对误差从31％下降到13％,和地面降水场的相关系数也有明显提高。     

基于漂移克里金融合雷达、雨量计定量估测降水研究

文中介绍了一种新的融合雷达和雨量计数据开展定量估测降水研究的空间信息统计学方法—Kriging with external drift(KED)方法。该方法能很好地融合高精度、低时空分辨率的雨量计数据和低精度、高时空分辨率的雷达数据进行插值。通过变异函数描述降水场的空间结构信息,能够充分利用数据间的空间相关性,来改进估测精度和提高处理速度。利用其优良的数学特性,以期在定量估测降水业务研究上进行新的探索和尝试。选用湖南省有代表意义的3次降水过程资料,通过雷达直接估测降水（RAD）、变分校准（VAR）以及KED 3种方法,分别与雨量计测量值进行对比分析,选用代表站进行交叉验证结果均表明：RAD的均方差、绝对误差、相对误差最大,VAR次之,而KED最小。KED估测的结果与雨量计测量降水最为接近,估测效果最好;3种方法与雨量计实测值计算一定范围的误差频率,KED估测值具有最小的均方差和最小的标准差,且误差分布相对集中在0值附近,斜度和峰度最佳,试验证明该方法不仅能提高降水估测精度,且优于其他方法,VAR均方差次之,RAD均方差效果相对较差。联合雷达、雨量计估测降水的实质是把雷达估测值与雨量计测量的结果相融合,以雨量计来校准雷达估测值,保留了雷达探测到降水的中、小尺度精细特征。校准后的雨量场数值接近雨量计测值,而且能够准确反映雷达测得的降水分布形式。     

Precipitation: Measurement,remote sensing,climatology and modeling

This review paper deals with four aspects of precipitation: measurement, remote sensing, climatology and modeling. The measurement of precipitation is summarized in terms of the instruments that count and measure drop sizes (defined as disdrometers) and the instruments that measure an average quantity proportional to the integrated volume of an ensemble of raindrops (these instruments are normally called rain gauges). Remote sensing of precipitation is accomplished with ground based radar and from satellite retrievals and these two approaches are separately discussed. The climatology of precipitation has evolved through the years from the traditional rain gauge data analyses to the more sophisticated data bases that result from a coalescence of data and information on precipitation that is available from several sources into amalgamated products. Recently, rain observations from both ground and space have been assimilated into regional and global numerical weather prediction models aiming at improved moisture analysis and better forecasts of extreme weather events. The current status and the main outstanding issues related to precipitation forecasting are discussed, providing a basic structure for research coordination aimed at the improvement of modeling, observation and data assimilation applicable to global and regional scales.     

Precipitation: Measurement,remote sensing,climatology and modeling

This review paper deals with four aspects of precipitation: measurement, remote sensing, climatology and modeling. The measurement of precipitation is summarized in terms of the instruments that count and measure drop sizes (defined as disdrometers) and the instruments that measure an average quantity proportional to the integrated volume of an ensemble of raindrops (these instruments are normally called rain gauges). Remote sensing of precipitation is accomplished with ground based radar and from satellite retrievals and these two approaches are separately discussed. The climatology of precipitation has evolved through the years from the traditional rain gauge data analyses to the more sophisticated data bases that result from a coalescence of data and information on precipitation that is available from several sources into amalgamated products. Recently, rain observations from both ground and space have been assimilated into regional and global numerical weather prediction models aiming at improved moisture analysis and better forecasts of extreme weather events. The current status and the main outstanding issues related to precipitation forecasting are discussed, providing a basic structure for research coordination aimed at the improvement of modeling, observation and data assimilation applicable to global and regional scales.     

称重与人工观测降水量的差异

为了更好地使用降水观测数据,对引起称重观测和人工观测的差异原因进行分析,选取北京市15个国家级地面观测站2012年11月—2014年1月称重式降水传感器与人工观测降水量业务资料,探讨称重观测与人工观测累积降水量的差异,并细化为对固态降水和液态降水两种降水类型进行相关性研究。结果表明:称重观测与人工观测日降水量相关系数为0.9990, 88.0%的对比次数中, 两者日降水量差值满足业务要求;在出现固态降水时,称重观测较人工观测降水量偏大,在出现液态降水时,称重观测较人工观测降水量偏小;两者在日降水量等级判断差异较小,小量降水时称重观测的能力较优;防风圈可显著提高称重观测固态降水的捕捉率,而称重观测内筒蒸发对夏季降水测量有一定影响。     

GRAPES_GFS模式全球降水预报的主要偏差特征

利用2017年1、4、7、10月“全球降水观测（global precipitation measurement,GPM）计划”每日08时（北京时）的24 h累计降水量和逐30 min降水量观测产品,从降水量和频率等角度,对同期GRAPES全球模式（GRAPES_GFS）第1（D1）、3（D3）、5天（D5）的全球降水预报性能和偏差特征进行细致评估与分析,且对低纬度暖池和北半球中纬度风暴路径区进行了重点观察,初步探讨了降水预报偏差特征在低纬度和中纬度明显不同的可能原因。结果显示:（1）GRAPES_GFS的D1—D5预报对全球日降水（量和频率）分布描述合理,能准确再现纬向平均降水（量和频率）的典型特征—降水“双峰”极大位于南北纬20°之间,次极大位于南北纬40°—50°地区的特征,以及关键区日降水时、空演变和降水日循环逐日演变的主要趋势特征。（2）低纬度的纬向平均湿日（≥0.1 mm/d）频率预报正偏差很小,但日降水量和强降水日（＞25 mm/d）频率预报的正偏差明显、偏差极大值“双峰”位置恰是相应观测极大值所在处（南北纬5°—10°）;中纬度的纬向平均日降水量预报基本无偏,但明显的湿日降水频率预报正偏差（20%—30%）和强降水日频率负偏差出现在南北纬40°—60°。降水偏差正、负分布特征随季节和预报时效基本保持不变,预报均方根误差数倍于平均误差,暗示模式降水预报偏差有系统性且性能表现波动较大。（3）日循环中,模式在暖池的降水量预报正偏差缘于降水强度预报偏强,降水频率预报的弱负偏差主要与降水落区预报偏小有关;而模式在北半球风暴路径区降水频率预报的正偏差则是降水落区预报偏大和空报弱降水事件两方面因素造成。（4）模式降水（量和频率）预报偏差特征在低纬度和中纬度的明显差异与模式次网格尺度和网格尺度降水比例失调有关,改进线索指向模式对流参数化方案中深对流的启动和深对流降水量的处理以及对流参数化方案与云微物理方案的协同问题。      

云天地表总辐射和净辐射瞬时值的计算方法

为减少计算机时,满足实时预报要求,全球数值预报模式中的辐射计算频率通常设定为三小时。这样处理会大大减少计算量,但也同时导致较大辐射日变化偏差,并影响模式对地面能量平衡,对流及降水的模拟。为改进这一缺陷,我们开发了一种辐射快速计算方案,可用于计算瞬时地面太阳总辐射和净辐射,使到达地面的太阳辐射计算可与模式积分同步进行,从而改善地面太阳辐射日变化模拟。本文介绍云天的计算方法。该方案所用的输入变量均为预报模式或卫星观测所能提供的量。结果表明：该方案既可用于数值预报模式也可利用观测资料独立计算地面太阳辐射。经与美国能源部大气辐射观测资料检验,该方案的精度很高,地面总辐射瞬时值的平均计算误差小于7%。     

一次高原强降水过程及其云物理结构的数值模拟

本文利用中尺度WRF数值模式,对2010年8月7—8日发生在青藏高原东部一次强降水过程进行数值模拟,利用常规观测资料、FY卫星云图和数值模拟结果对此次强降水过程的宏微观演变特征和降水机制进行分析。本次模拟选用Milbrandt-Yau(MY)微物理方案,有较为完整的双参数计算过程,较为全面地考虑了各类云物理过程,对云微物理结构的描述和处理精细而复杂。结果表明,此次强对流降水发生在副热带高压与南亚高压相连、中高纬短波槽分裂南下、并与西南暖湿气流相遇形成低涡切变线的有利天气形势下,西南暖湿气流带来大量水汽、降水区存在大量不稳定能量、以及低层辐合高层辐散的高低空配置为暴雨发生发展提供了必要条件。WRF模式较好地模拟出了此次强降水过程的降水落区、降水中心和降水量级,对青海平安和甘南上空云团合并过程、强对流云团范围也模拟较好。对云微物理结构的分析结果表明,此次对流云降水为冷云降水,暖层浅薄,冰相粒子丰富,其中霰粒对过冷水的碰冻能力最强,使得其含量远大于冰雪晶含量,其融化是雨水的主要来源。雪晶含量最少,或与其碰冻过冷水能力较弱有关。     

Evaluating the performance of remote sensing precipitation products CMORPH,PERSIANN, and TMPA,in the arid region of northwest China

The arid region of northwest China is a large area with complex topography. Hydrological research is limited by scarcity and uneven distribution of rain gauges. Satellite precipitation products provide wide coverage and high spatial–temporal resolutions, but the accuracy needs to be evaluated before application. In this paper, the reliability of four satellite precipitation products (CMORPH [Climate Prediction Center’s morphing technique], PERSIANN [Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks], TRMM [Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission] 3B42, and TRMM 3B43) were evaluated through comparison with ground data or reported values on daily, monthly, and annual scales from 2003 to 2010. Indices including frequency bias index, probability of detection, and false alarm ratio were used to evaluate recorded precipitation occurrences; relative mean bias, the correlation coefficient, and the Nash coefficient were used to assess precipitation amount. Satellite precipitation products were more accurate in the warm than in the cold season, and performed better in northern Xinjiang than in other regions during the cold season. CMORPH and PERSIANN tended to overestimate precipitation. TRMM 3B42 and TRMM 3B43 performed best because the former most accurately detected precipitation occurrences on a daily scale, and both produced accurate space–time distribution of precipitation and the best consistency with rain gauge observations. Only a few monthly precipitation values for TRMM 3B42 and TRMM 3B43, and annual precipitation values for TRMM 3B42 were with satisfactory precision. TRMM3B42 and TRMM 3B43 are therefore recommended, but correction will be needed before application. Factors including elevation, relative relief, longitude, and latitude had significant effects on the performance of satellite precipitation products, and these factors may be helpful in correcting satellite precipitation.