Total rain accumulation and rain-rate analysis for small tropical Pacific islands: A case study of Suva, Fiji

Abstract

Rain-rate analyses using hourly data from 1990 to 2002 predict rain occurrence for ∼15% of the year while minute data for the period Apr '02-Mar '03 resolve rain-rate more accurately and show rain occurrence of ∼2% of the year. It is estimated that <1% of the rain at the site is mainly convective. Rainfall analysis confirms its dependence on El Niño Southern Oscillation and convergence zones. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society.