Spatial scaling analysis of rainfall intensity using radar reflectivity data.

Abstract

Small-scale (less than ~ 15 km) variability of precipitation significantly affects the hydrologic response of a basin. In this study, the spatial variability of three stages of a single rainfall event (i.e. rainfall growing, matured, and dissipating) occurred over Southern Malay Peninsula on 18 December 2006 was evaluated. Three parameters characterize the smoothness (H) of the rainfall intensity, heterogeneity (C1) and spikiness (α) of the fluctuations are obtained. Results suggest that H vary with stages of the rainfall but peak ( H = 0.449 (0.003) ) when the rainfall has grown matured. On the other hand, C1 and α are similar ( C1 = 0.111 (0.001) , α = 2.004 (0.009) ) for the three stages with α corresponds to the lognormal multifractals.