Challenges in obtaining reliable measurements of point rainfall

Abstract

Extensive data recorded from storm systems passing over the well-instrumented 21.4 km2 Goodwin Creek watershed in northern Mississippi are used to highlight uncertainties associated with the measurement of surface rainfall, focusing on data quality control, gauge calibration, out-of-level gauge orifices, and wind effects on rain gauge catch. Assessment of the wind effect on gauge catch is central to the presented analyses, including an in-depth evaluation of a recent technique for estimating the rainfall undercatch by means of wind and raindrop size information. Our findings emphasize that quantification of the wind effect on rain gauge catch is difficult because of uncertainties associated with measuring rainfall, drop size distribution, and the wind at gauge rim height. On the basis of our evaluation the sophisticated wind effect correction technique that makes use of raindrop size and wind information is much less effective than traditional methods based on rainfall rate and wind observations alone. Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union.