Estimation of average rainfall areal reduction factors in Texas using NEXRAD data
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Precipitation areal reduction factors (ARFs) for the 685,000 km2 of Texas were calculated using next generation radar (NEXRAD) rainfall estimates. The study was based on 18,531 storms of different durations that took place in different seasons and regions of Texas. The storms were assumed of elliptical shape. It was found that, in addition to the storm duration and area, other factors such as the season, region, and precipitation depth (i.e., storm total rainfall accumulation for the given duration) have a statistically significant effect on the ARFs. Elongated ellipses and orientation angles somewhat parallel to the Texas gulf coast were found more frequent in winter, when warm and cold fronts produce frontal storms, than in summer. The effect of the precipitation depth on the ARFs was found to be stronger in summer than in winter. Even though part of the ARF variability could be explained by seasonality, regionality, and precipitation depth, the uniqueness of each storm event appears to be an important cause of this variability. Lower ARF values were observed compared to previous studies. 2008 ASCE.
