VOLTAIRE: a 5/sup th/ framework programme research and technological development project for validation of precipitation fields

VOLTAIRE is an international partnership (started in 2003) co-funded by the European Commission within the RTD activities of the 5/sup th/ Framework Programme. VOLTAIRE stands for "Validation Of muLTisensors precipitAtIon fields and numerical modeling in mediterRanEan test sites". This paper briefly describes the project with a special focus on the preliminary results obtained by comparing (for the 1/sup st/ time in Europe) spaceborne and ground-based weather radar observations.