A concise comparison of two rainfall onset definitions using convective properties derived from TRMM precipitation radar data

Most rainfall onset definitions in West Africa were estimated using station-based data. These data and hence the rainfall onset definitions may, however, not be a good representative for the entire climatic zone of the station. Based on existing definitions, a new rainfall onset definition is develo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Meteorology and atmospheric physics 2021-04, Vol.133 (2), p.433-440
Main Authors: Balogun, R. A., Adefisan, E. A., Adeyewa, Z. D., Okogbue, E. C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural production
Aquatic Pollution
Atmospheric Sciences
Climatic zones
Coastal zone
Data
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Math. Appl. in Environmental Science
Mesoscale convective systems
Meteorology
Original Paper
Precipitation
Radar
Radar data
Rain
Rainfall
Rainfall measurement
Rainforests
Savannahs
Terrestrial Pollution
Tropical climate
Tropical rainfall
Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)
Waste Water Technology
Water Management
Water Pollution Control
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Summary:Most rainfall onset definitions in West Africa were estimated using station-based data. These data and hence the rainfall onset definitions may, however, not be a good representative for the entire climatic zone of the station. Based on existing definitions, a new rainfall onset definition is developed from the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission 3B42 gridded rainfall observations. 16 years of data were analyzed, which were taken between mid-April to mid-July over rainforest zones (west coast rainforest, dry rainforest and Nigeria–Cameroon rainforest) and between mid-May to mid-August over savannah zones (Nigeria savannah, and “Central African and South Sudan savannah”). While both definitions yield rather similar results in west coast rainforest, Nigeria–Cameroon rainforest and Nigeria savannah zones; results differ, however, substantially over dry rainforest and the Central African and South Sudan savannah. The new onset definition is further justified using an event-based analysis of mesoscale convective systems, flash counts and other convective parameters. Results have proved the new onset definition to be reliable and relevant for applications in agricultural productivity.
ISSN:0177-7971
1436-5065
DOI:10.1007/s00703-020-00759-w