Assessing precipitation from a dual-polarisation X-band radar campaign using the Grid-to-Grid hydrological model

•Precipitation data from an X-band radar in northern Scotland are assessed.•Assessment against river flow using a distributed hydrological model brings fresh insights.•Lowest usable beam elevation is the main limit on performance in this mountainous area.•Use of dual-polarisation estimators improves performance during summer months.•The X-band radar is suited for filling gaps in the existing C-band radar network.