Precipitation retrieval from space: An overview

During the last decade, satellite observations have allowed significant advances in quantifying precipitation, especially with the contribution of the TRMM mission. Observations at different wavelengths (visible, infrared, and microwaves), in both active and passive microwave modes, are analyzed, and eventually coupled to produce records of precipitation estimates over the globe, with up to hourly time sampling. This article provides an overview of the techniques, the results and the perspectives.