| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4450773 | Atmospheric Research | 2009 | 12 Pages |
An important issue in pluviometric data analysis from rain gauges is the verification of their consistency. In general, this attribute is assessed using double-mass curves. This technique compares cumulative monthly rainfall from a gauge with that averaged from meteorological stations located nearby. The aim of this study was to analyze the quality of monthly rainfall data registered in Galicia (NW Spain) in a five year period (2002–2006). Initially, 159 meteorological stations were evaluated; however, 59 gauges were withdrawn because 10% of their data were missing. Double-mass analysis was performed following two procedures: a) data from each gauge were compared to those obtained in the nearby main station and b) data from each site were compared to the average from five nearby gauges, including data from neighboring regions. The second procedure proved to be more reliable. Rainfall data did not show any outlier for the study period. Determination coefficients were greater than 0.95 in all cases. A graphical analysis showed some deviations from the trend lines in certain stations. First, rainfall maps were obtained by inverse distances weighting. Furthermore, a comprehensive geostatistical analysis, centered in the characterization of the structure of rainfall spatial variability, was performed. Differences between two kriging methods, ordinary and kriging with an external drift, were confirmed, considering the later as a more appropriate technique for rainfall interpolation in the region.
