The contribution of tropical cyclones to rainfall in Mexico

Publication date: Available online 4 June 2015 Source:Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C Author(s): J. Agustín Breña-Naranjo , Adrián Pedrozo-Acuña , Oscar Pozos-Estrada , Salma A. Jiménez-López , Marco R. López-López Investigating the contribution of tropical cyclones to the terrestrial water cycle can help quantify the benefits and hazards caused by the rainfall generated from this type of hydro-meteorological event. Rainfall induced by tropical cyclones can enhance both flood risk and groundwater recharge, and it is therefore important to characterise its minimum, mean and maximum contributions to a region or country’s water balance. This work evaluates the rainfall contribution of tropical depressions, storms and hurricanes across Mexico from 1998 to 2013 using the satellite-derived precipitation dataset TMPA 3B42. Additionally, the sensitivity of rainfall to other datasets was assessed: the national rain gauge observation network, real-time satellite rainfall and a merged product that combines rain gauges with non-calibrated space-borne rainfall measurements. The lower Baja California peninsula had the highest contribution from cyclonic rainfall in relative terms (∼40% of its total annual rainfall), whereas the contributions in the rest of the country showed a low-to-medium dependence on tropical cyclones, with mean values ranging from 0% to 20%. In quantitative terms, southern regions of Mexico can receive more than 2400mm of cyclonic r...

Source: Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts ABC - June 27, 2015 Category: Science Source Type: research