Estimation of Missing Rainfall Data: Mainly at Meteorological Stations

Hydrology Anees Kadhum AL – Saadi
Lecture 5 M.Sc. Water Resources
Estimation of Missing Rainfall Data

U
• Rainfall data are generally collected at point locations (mainly at

meteorological stations)
• However, rainfall data might be incomplete. Missing data therefore
could be attributed to:
i. Malfunctioning ‫ﺍﻟﺘﻘﺼﻴﺮ‬
ii. Mismanagement ‫ﺳﻮء ﻻﺩﺍﺭﺓ‬
iii. Inability to take the measurement ‫ﻋﺪﻡ ﺍﻟﻘﺪﺭﺓ ﻻﺧﺬ ﺍﻟﻘﻴﺎﺱ‬
iv. Vandalism ‫ﺗﺨﺮﻳﺐ ﻣﺘﻌﻤﺪ‬
• Therefore, when part of rainfall data is missing, then estimation of
missing data should be made
1- Station – Average Method

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• Consider n rain gages present in a region with measured data for a

given storm event
• The data at station X are missing for a storm event
• Then
𝟏𝟏
𝐏𝐏𝐱𝐱 = ∑𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐢=𝟏𝟏(𝐏𝐏𝐢𝐢 )
𝐧𝐧
• Use this method when the annual rainfall of any station is within
the 10% of the average annual rainfall from the gages
Example: Find the missing rainfall data at station D for the

following storm events given the average annual rainfall data,
1
University of Babylon College of Engineering Department of Environment
Solution: The average annual rainfall at the four gages is 40.7 in and thus
all the annual readings are within 10% of the average
10% of the average annual rainfall from the gages = 40.7+ (40.7 * 10/100) = 44.77
Annual rainfall < 44.77
𝟏𝟏 36.63 40.7 44.77

𝐏𝐏𝐃𝐃 = x (2.6 + 3.1 + 2.3) = 2.67 in
𝟑𝟑
2- Normal – Ratio Method

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In regions where the annual average rainfall differs considerably between

locations, the normal – ratio method is preferred
𝐧𝐧
𝐀𝐀 𝐱𝐱
𝐏𝐏𝐱𝐱 = � (𝐏𝐏𝐢𝐢 )
𝐢𝐢=𝟏𝟏 𝐧𝐧𝐀𝐀𝐢𝐢
Px: missing rainfall data at x

Ax: annual rainfall at station x
Ai: annual rainfall at station i
n: No. of stations (known precipitation)
Example : Find the missing rainfall data at station D for the following
storm events given the average annual rainfall data
𝐧𝐧
𝐀𝐀 𝐱𝐱
𝐏𝐏𝐱𝐱 = � (𝐏𝐏𝐢𝐢 )
𝐢𝐢=𝟏𝟏 𝐧𝐧𝐀𝐀𝐢𝐢
𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒 𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒 𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒
𝐏𝐏𝐃𝐃 = x 2.4 + x 2.3 + x 3.1 = 2.51 in
𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑
• Use the flowing equation when the annual rainfall of any station is
greater than the 10% of the average annual rainfall from the gages
P X = N X /3*[P A / N A + P B / N B + P C / N C ]
R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
2
where:
A,B,C = rainfall for each station is know
X= missing data station
N= average annual rainfall for station
P = rainfall for station during limit time
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Example: One of four monthly reading gages on a catchment area
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develops a fault in a month when the other three gages record,

respectively (122, 89, 107) mm. If the average annual precipitation
of these three gages are (935, 1120, 979) mm, respectively and
(1200mm) of the broken gage. Estimate the missing monthly
precipitation at the later station?
Solution:
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(N A -N X )/N X *100 = (935-1200)/1200*100= 22%

R R R R R R
(N B -N X )/N X *100 = (1120-1200)/1200*100= 7% <10%

R R R R R R
(N C -N X )/N X *100 = (979-1200)/1200*100= 18% > 10%

R R R R R R
P X = N X /3*[P A / N A + P B / N B + P C / N C ]
R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
= 1200/3[122/935+89/1120+107/979]
=127.7 mm
Testing of Consistency of precipitation Records.
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Numerous factors could affect the consistency of the record at a given

station.
• damage and replacement of a rain gage
• change in measurement procedure, or
• human, mechanical, or electrical error in taking readings
• Changes in type, location, and/or environment of the gage are
common
• Trees may grow up or buildings may be constructed around a gage
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• So it is important for a hydrologist to determine if the precipitation

record is affected by such artificial alterations of measurement
conditions and to correct them if they are present
• The most common technique for detecting and correcting the
inconsistent precipitation data is the double-mass curve
• The double-mass curve is a plot of the successive cumulative
annual precipitation collected at a gage where measurement
conditions may have changed significantly versus the successive
cumulative of average annual precipitation for the same period of
years collected at several gages in the same region
• A change in the proportionality between the measurements at the
suspect station and those of the region is reflected in a change in
the slope of the trend of the plotted points
Accumulated values at test station
Slope 2
Slope 1
Accumulated average of all values at all base stations
Correction Factor
K = slope (after) / slope (before)
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EX:
• The problem is in station E
• Find the average for stations A to D and then the cumulative
• Find the cumulative for station E
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• Apparently, there is a slope difference

• The slope before the change is 0.77 while after the change it is 1.05
• To reflect the conditions that exist before the break then multiply
by 0.77/1.05 all the records after change
• To reflect the conditions that exist after the break then multiply by
1.05/0.77 all the records before the change
S2
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏−𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
S1= = 𝟎𝟎. 𝟕𝟕𝟕𝟕
𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐−𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐
𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔−𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
S2= 𝟕𝟕𝟕𝟕𝟕𝟕−𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 = 𝟏𝟏. 𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎
S1
Double Mass Curve Analysis (Consistency Test):DMC

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DMC: is a plot of accumulative totals for each year at the gage

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against the sum of accumulative totals for the same years at a number
of adjacent gages.
DMC: is used to check if trended in rainfall data of a certain gage is
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due to Meteorological condition only.
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Example: Annual precipitation at rain gage (X) and the annual

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precipitation at (15) surrounding rain gages are listed in the following

table:
a. Examine the consistency of st. (X) data;
b. When did a change in regime occur?
c. Adjust the data and determine what difference this makes to
the 33 year annual average precipitation at st. (X).
Annual precipitation (mm)
Year
St.(X) (15) Sts.
1938 13.4 13.9
1939 10.7 9.9
1940 10.9 10.1
1941 12 13.7
1942 13.3 13.1
1943 14.6 13.2
1944 9.0 10.9
1945 11.8 11.4
1946 9.7 10.2
1947 15.4 13.9
1948 12.5 13.0
1949 11.5 13.1
1950 11.5 13.1
1951 13.9 10.9
1952 14.1 13.2
1953 10.4 10.0
1954 7.9 8.8
1955 13.3 9.6
1956 16.3 10.2
1957 22.7 15.9
1958 13.9 10.9
1959 14.7 10.2
1960 14 10.3
1961 11.4 10.2
1962 13.8 11.8
1963 10.0 9.2
1964 10.5 10.2
1965 16.7 14.0
1966 9.3 8.4
1967 18.4 11.5
1968 14.1 9.0
1969 19.8 13.0
1970 17.1 13.1
1971 16.0 10.7
Rainfall Classification
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• Very light — < 0.25 mm/hr

• Light — 0.25 mm/hr - 1.0 mm/hr
• Moderate — 1.0 mm/hr - 4.0 mm/hr
• Heavy — 4.0 mm/hr - 16.0 mm/hr
• Very heavy — 16.0 mm/hr – 50 mm/hr
• Extreme — > 50.0 mm/hr
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Hydrology Anees Kadhum AL – Saadi

Lecture 5 M.Sc. Water Resources

Estimation of Missing Rainfall Data

• Rainfall data are generally collected at point locations (mainly at

1- Station – Average Method

• Consider n rain gages present in a region with measured data for a

Example: Find the missing rainfall data at station D for the

𝟏𝟏 36.63 40.7 44.77

2- Normal – Ratio Method

In regions where the annual average rainfall differs considerably between

Px: missing rainfall data at x

develops a fault in a month when the other three gages record,

(N A -N X )/N X *100 = (935-1200)/1200*100= 22%

(N B -N X )/N X *100 = (1120-1200)/1200*100= 7% <10%

(N C -N X )/N X *100 = (979-1200)/1200*100= 18% > 10%

Numerous factors could affect the consistency of the record at a given

• So it is important for a hydrologist to determine if the precipitation

Accumulated average of all values at all base stations

• Apparently, there is a slope difference

Double Mass Curve Analysis (Consistency Test):DMC

DMC: is a plot of accumulative totals for each year at the gage

due to Meteorological condition only.

Example: Annual precipitation at rain gage (X) and the annual

precipitation at (15) surrounding rain gages are listed in the following

• Very light — < 0.25 mm/hr

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(N A -N X )/N X 100 = (935-1200)/1200100= 22%

(N B -N X )/N X 100 = (1120-1200)/1200100= 7% <10%

(N C -N X )/N X 100 = (979-1200)/1200100= 18% > 10%