References

ADGEO

Advances in Geosciences

ADGEO

Adv. Geosci.

1680-7359

Copernicus Publications

Göttingen, Germany

10.5194/adgeo-26-61-2010

The effect of observation timescales on the characterisation of extreme Mediterranean precipitation

Camarasa Belmonte

A. M.

¹ Soriano García

¹ López-García

M. J.

Department of Geography, University of Valencia Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 28, 46010 Valencia, Spain

09 07 2010

26 61 64

2010

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This paper analyses the behaviour of five rainfall indicators (maximum intensity, cumulative rainfall, irregularity, probability of rain and persistence of rain) over different observation timescales ranging from 5 min to 24 h. It covers a large area on the Mediterranean side of the Iberian Peninsula (River Júcar Water Authority, 43 000 km<sup>2</sup>) on a continuous basis over a period of 14 years (1994–2007). The results show that the behaviour of extreme Mediterranean rainfall is heavily dependent on the observation timescale. There are a number of turning points in the indicator trends which occur on different timescales (1 and 6 h in the case of rain intensity and irregularity, 6 h for cumulative rainfall and between 15 and 30 min for the persistence of rain) and may be relevant for the determination of thresholds used in water management.

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