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Abstract
Drop size data from a present weather sensor have been compared to drop size data collected using a nearly co-located dedicated disdrometer. In a rainfall event that lasted more than 9 hours, with rainfall intensities up to 25 mm/h it has been shown that the drop size distributions (DSDs) estimated by the two different types of instruments are significantly different. The present weather sensor severely underestimates the number of large drops, which is likely due to miscalibration of the instrument. The effect of this underestimation on DSD-derived bulk rainfall variables R and Z is significant. If DSDs estimated from the present weather sensor are to be used in analyses of rainfall spatial variation, careful recalibration is essential.