## 1 Introduction  
One of the significant atmospheric disturbances impacting the transmission of radio signals in satellite and microwave communications is rain attenuation. Rain attenuation remains a major challenge in the tropical and subtropical regions and has become an essential research study in South Africa, a subtropical country characterized by diverse climatic conditions [1]. The attenuation effect increases with the height and intensity of rainfall and other transmission parameters such as signal frequency, polarization, station elevation, etc. Rain height refers to the altitude within the troposphere at which rainwater droplets are sufficient to establish the permissible rain-induced attenuation on communication systems operating at frequencies over 10 GHz [2]. Seasonal variation and spatial variation of rain height affects the specification and redesigning of communication systems in regions with high rain intensity [3]. South Africa has many climate zones which include an arid climate zone in the west, a subtropical climate zone in the northeast, and a mediterranean climate in the south, thus changing the period of the rainy season and other precipitation parameters. Such differences influence the distribution of rain height, which in turn affects rain attenuation severity during different seasons, as suggested by [PERSON] and [PERSON] [4]. Rain heights in general are estimated using atmospheric data such as bright-band height and the freezing height level from remote sensing devices like weather radar and satellite imagery, along with calibrated ground measured data and statistical models [5]. In addition, the determination of rain height on a geographical basis assists in proper planning and avoiding massive signal loss in radio wave propagation [6]. The consequences of rainfall affecting signal strength mean a great deal to the telecommunication industry in South Africa because the country falls under a subtropical region where rain poses a significant threat to radio propagation. According to radio engineers' and users' experience, attenuation lowers signal strength and data transfer rates and leads to service disruptions in both ground-based microwave transmission and satellite links [2]. Based on research findings of seasonal variability and spatial distribution of rain height, engineers and communication network designers can incorporate better systems that can be relayed even under unfavorable weather conditions [4]. The present work enriches the body of knowledge focusing on attempts to reduce rain attenuation effects and enhance communication systems in South Africa by proposing an optimal spatial and seasonal rain height estimation method using KDE. Various approaches have been used to determine the heights of rain ranging from computation using radar data, statistical analysis, and model development. Rainfall intensity and distribution data obtained from precipitation radar are mostly used for computation. For instance, [PERSON] et al. [7] suggested satellite-based estimation of precipitation parameters, which are essential for defining the height of rain and have an influence on the attenuation of radio signals. Also, parametric models that have involved the power-law relationship between rainfall rates and rain height are used to predict rain heights using the rainfall intensities recorded [8]. There were significant positive correlations of about 0.73-0.85 between rain height and upper air temperature as reported by [PERSON] et al. [9] for some selected tropical stations in Nigeria. [PERSON] et al. [10] applied the three-parameter Dagum distribution model to fit rain height in Durban, South Africa. The shape and the scale parameters of the distribution were somewhat unstable, and the magnitude of variations was greater, as indicated by the corresponding RMSE of 0.26. Their research could not produce a robust database because it is limited to Durban alone. Moreover, the TRMM-PR data that were used for the research have been replaced by GPM data, an improved version of TRMM data.