A number of successful applications that use the rain-rate product are being demonstrated by various operational agencies. The rain-rate product is used by the NESDIS Synoptic and Analysis Branch (SAB) to delineate areas of rain/no-rain and light/moderate/heavy rain rates particularly over data-sparse ocean areas. The POES rain-rate product complements other satellite data when it is overlaid on GOES imagery. With this technique, the analyst/forcaster can identify which portions of a given infrared/visible cloud band are producing rain and which areas have the heaviest rain rates. Movement of the systems can be determined from sequences of GOES imagery and combined with the POES-based precipitation analyses to

1. Confirm the onset of steady precipitation
2. Forecast the duration of steady precipitation
3. Locate the highest precipitation rates and assess the potential for significant precipitation amounts
4. Related to 1) and 3), refine short-term (< 24 hr) quantitative precipitation forecasts

NESDIS/SAB uses SSM/I rain rates to produce an experimental rainfall potential product for tropical storms. Rainfall potential for tropical storms expected to make landfall within 24 hours is provided to the NCEP Hurricane Prediction Center (HPC) as guidance to their precipitation forecasts. This experimental rainfall product has been expanded to include tropical storms in the Eastern Hemisphere as well as extratropical storms that affect the United States.