Abstract Gage and radar methods of convective rain measurement are compared in the context of the continuing multiple cloud seeding experiment of the Experimental Meteorology Laboratory. An optimal system, combining the best features of both, is recommended.The nature of the Florida convective rainfall to be measured is documented using measurements from a dense raingage mesonet (about 3 km2 per gage over 570 km2) that was operated for a total of 93 days in 1971 and 1973, and the gaging requirements for detection and measurement of 24 h rainfalls in the mesonet are determined using the full complement of gages as the standard. For the measurement of areal convective rainfall greater than 0.25 mm within a factor of 2 on 90, 70 and 50% of the days, gage densities of 31, 91 and 208 km2 per gage, respectively, are required.Radar performance in estimating convective rainfall over south Florida is determined using two collocated, calibrated 10 cm radars (UM/10-cm of the University of Miami and WSR-57 of the Nat...