An investigation of warm season spatial rainfall variability in Oklahoma City

Abstract

Precipitation measurements provide essential information about the water cycle and the distribution of heat in urban environments. The study uses nine years (1998-2006) of warm-season (June-September) mean daily rainfall accumulation from both the TRMM multi-satellite precipitation analysis (TMPA) and ground-based gauge stations to examine spatial variability in warm season rainfall events around Oklahoma City as a function of prevailing wind. Application of the concentration factor (CF) analysis provided a closer look at the wind direction-rainfall relationship in a stratified manner. Results revealed that the northern and northeastern cells of the metropolitan area were relatively wet compared to other regions. The study establishes a prototype methodology for utilizing satellite-based rainfall estimates to examine rainfall modification by urbanization on global scales and in areas not well-instrumented with rain gauge or radar networks. Such research has implications for weather forecasting, urban planning, water resource management, and understanding human impact on the environment and climate.