RAINFALL
                                  --------

See PRECIP
See SPURIOUS.H2O
See SPURRAIN.PS (postscript)
See XPRATE

Reanalysis precipitation is NOT based on rain gauge data, radar data
or even satellite rainfall indices.  Reanalysis precipitation is
derived from running the forecast model for six hours starting from
the analysis.  The precipitation is then accumulated for that six hour
simulation.  This estimate is very sensitive to the initial analysis
(winds, temperature, humidity) and to the forecast model's cloud
and rainfall parameterizations.   If you want the rainfall in Boston,
use rain gauge data.  

In comparing Reanalysis precipitation with independent estimates
(rain gauge, satellite precipitation estimates), we are pleased with
the precipitation anomalies.  We are less pleased with the "raw"
numbers, some aspects of the diurnal cycle and frequency of precipitation.