Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Local influence of south-east France topography and land cover on the distribution and characteristics of intense rainfall cells

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Theoretical and Applied Climatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Greater Lyon area is strongly built up, grouping 58 communes and a population of 1.3 million in approximately 500 km2. The flood risk is high as the territory is crossed by two large watercourses and by streams with torrential flow. Floods may also occur in case of runoff after heavy rain or because of a rise in the groundwater level. The whole territory can therefore be affected, and it is necessary to possess in-depth knowledge of the depths, causes and consequences of rainfall to achieve better management of precipitation in urban areas and to reduce flood risk. This study is thus focused on the effects of topography and land cover on the occurrence, intensity and area of intense rainfall cells. They are identified by local radar meteorology (C-band) combined with a processing algorithm running in a geographic information system (GIS) which identified 109,979 weighted mean centres of them in a sample composed of the five most intense rainfall events from 2001 to 2005. First, analysis of spatial distribution at an overall scale is performed, completed by study at a more detailed scale. The results show that the distribution of high-intensity rainfall cells is spread in cluster form. Subsequently, comparison of intense rainfall cells with the topography shows that cell density is closely linked with land slope but that, above all, urbanised zones feature nearly twice as many rainfall cells as farm land or forest, with more intense intensity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. www.othu.org

  2. http://sd1878-2.sivit.org/

References

  • Anselin L (1995) Practical nonparametric statistics, 3rd edition Luc. Local Indicators of Spatial Association-LISA. Geogr Anal 27(2):93–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Badin AL, Tarfa M, Bertrand C, Monier A, Delolme C, Geremia R, Bedell JP (2012) Microbial communities of urban stormwater sediments: the phylogenetic structure of bacterial communities varies with porosity. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 81(2):324–338

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becouze C, Wiest L, Baudot R, Bertrand-Krajewski JL, Cren-Olivé C (2011) Optimisation of pressurised liquid extraction for the ultra-trace quantification of 20 priority substances from the European Water Framework Directive in Atmospheric Particles by GC–MS and LC–FLD–MS/MS. Anal Chim Acta 693(1):47–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becouze-Lareure C (2012) Multi-level approach of the ecotoxicological impact of a combined sewer overflow on a peri-urban stream. J Water Resour Prot 04(11):984–992. doi:10.4236/jwarp.2012.411114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beltrando G (2011) “Les climats. Processus, variabilité et risques”, 2nd edn, Armand Colin. collection U, Paris, p 286

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouilloud L, Delrieu G, Boudevillain B, Kirstetter PE (2010) Radar rainfall estimation in the context of post-event analysis of flash-flood events. J Hydrol 394(1):17–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braud I, Breil P, Thollet F, Lagouy M, Branger F, Jacqueminet C, Kermadi S, Michel K (2013) Evidence of the impact of urbanization on the hydrological regime of a medium-sized periurban catchment in France. J Hydrol 485(April):5–23. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2012.04.049

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braud I, Ayral P-A, Bouvier C, Branger F, Delrieu G, Le Coz J, Nord G, Vandervaere J-P, Anquetin S, Adamovic M, Andrieu J, Batiot C, Boudevillain B, Brunet P, Carreau J, Confoland A, Didon-Lescot J-F, Domergue J-M, Douvinet J, Dramais G, Freydier R, Gérard S, Huza J, Leblois E, Le Bourgeois O, Le Boursicaud R, Marchand P, Martin P, Nottale L, Patris N, Renard B, Seidel J-L, Taupin J-D, Vannier O, Vincendon B, Wijbrans A (2014) Multi-scale hydrometeorological observation and modelling for flash flood understanding. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci 18:3733–3761. doi:10.5194/hess-18-3733-2014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bremaud PJ, Pointin YB (1993) Forecasting heavy rainfall from rain cell motion using radar data. J Hydrol 142(1):373–389

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Champeaux J-L, Dupuy P, Laurantin O, Soulan I, Tabary P, Soubeyroux J-M (2009) Les mesures de précipitations et l’estimation des lames d’eau à Météo-France : état de l’art et perspectives. Houille Blanche 28–34. doi:10.1051/lhb/2009052

  • Conover WJ (1980) Practical Nonparametric Statistics, 3rd Edition. Wiley, New-York, USA

  • Daniels EE, Lenderink G, Hutjes RWA, Holtslag AaM (2015) Observed urban effects on precipitation along the Dutch West coast. Int J Climatol n/a–n/a. doi:10.1002/joc.4458

  • Delrieu G, Boudevillain B, Nicol J, Chapon B, Kirstetter P-E, Andrieu H, Faure D (2009) Bollène-2002 experiment: radar quantitative precipitation estimation in the Cévennes–Vivarais Region, France. J Appl Meteorol Climatol 48:1422–1447. doi:10.1175/2008JAMC1987.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunn OJ (1964) Multiple comparisons using rank sums. Technometrics 6(3):241–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emmanuel I, Andrieu H, Leblois E, Flahaut B (2012) Temporal and spatial variability of rainfall at the urban hydrological scale. J Hydrol 430:162–172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fligner MA (1984) A note on two-sided distribution-free treatment versus control multiple comparisons. J Am Stat Assoc 79(385):208–211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedman M (1937) The use of ranks to avoid the assumption of normality implicit in the analysis of variance. J Am Stat Assoc 32(200):675–701

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedman M (1940) A comparison of alternative tests of significance for the problem of M rankings. Ann Math Stat 11(1):86–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Getis A, Ord JK (1992) The analysis of spatial association by use of distance statistics. Geogr Anal 24(3):189–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Getis A, Ord JK (1996) “Spatial analysis and modeling in a GIS environment.”, A Research Agenda for Geographic Information Science., pp 96–157

    Google Scholar 

  • González-Aparicio, I., Baklanov, A., Hidalgo, J., Korsholm, U., Nuterman, R., Mahura, A (2014) Impact of city expansion and increased heat fluxes scenarios on the urban boundary layer of Bilbao using Enviro-HIRLAM. Urban Clim., Cities and Megacities: Air Quality and Climate Impacts 10, Part 5, 831–845. doi:10.1016/j.uclim.2014.07.010

  • Goodchild MF, Getis A (1991) “Introduction to spatial analysis.”. In: Notes to Accompany a Workshop of the Same Name Held in Conjunction with GIS/LIS. Vol. 91

    Google Scholar 

  • Griffith DA (1987) “Spatial Autocorrelation”. A Primer. Association of American Geographers, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Handwerker J (2002) Cell tracking with TRACE3D—a new algorithm. Atmos Res 61(1):15–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hart MA, Sailor DJ (2008) Quantifying the influence of land-use and surface characteristics on spatial variability in the urban heat island. Theor Appl Climatol 95:397–406. doi:10.1007/s00704-008-0017-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hollander M, Wolfe DA (1999) Nonparametric statistical methods, 2nd edn. John Wiley and Sons, New-York

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacqueminet C, Kermadi S, Michel K, Béal D, Gagnage M, Branger F, Jankowfsky S, Braud I (2013) Land cover mapping using aerial and VHR satellite images for distributed hydrological modelling of periurban catchments: application to the Yzeron catchment (Lyon, France). J Hydrol 485:68–83. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2013.01.028

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jarque CM, Bera AK (1980) Efficient tests for normality, homoscedasticity and serial independence of regression residuals. Econ Lett 6(3):255–259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson JT, MacKeen PL, Witt A, De Wayne M, Stumpf G, Eilts M, Thomas K (1998) The storm cell identification and tracking algorithm: an enhanced WSR-88D algorithm. Weather Forecast 13(2):263–276

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joly D, Brossard T, Cardot H, Cavailhès J, Hilal M, Wavresky P (2009) Interpolation Par Régressions Locales: application Aux Précipitations En France. L’espace Géographique 38(2):157–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jongman B, Koks E, Husby T, Ward P (2014) Increasing flood exposure in the Netherlands: implications for risk financing. Nat Hazards Earth Syst Sci 14(5):1245–1255. doi:10.5194/nhess-14-1245-2014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kermadi S, Braud I, Jacqueminet C, Branger F, Renard F, Michel K (2012) Quels liens entre climatologie, occupation des sols et inondations dans le bassin versant de l’Yzeron (ouest lyonnais) ? Apport de l’analyse conjointe de données hydroclimatiques et d’images satellitaires très haute résolution, Climatologie, pp 83–107

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirstetter P-E, Gourley JJ, Hong Y, Zhang J, Moazamigoodarzi S, Langston C, Arthur A (2015) Probabilistic precipitation rate estimates with ground-based radar networks. Water Resour Res 51:1422–1442. doi:10.1002/2014WR015672

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kouyi Lipeme G, Bret P, Didier JM, Chocat B, Billat C (2011) The use of CFD modelling to optimise measurement of overflow rates in a downstream-controlled dual-overflow structure. Water Sci Technol 64(2):521. doi:10.2166/wst.2011.162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krajewski W, Kruger A, Smith J, Lawrence R, Gunyon C, Goska R, Seo B et al (2011) Towards better utilization of NEXRAD data in hydrology: an overview of hydro-NEXRAD. J Hydroinf 13(2):255–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kruskal W, Wallis W (1952) Use of ranks in one-criterion variance analysis. J Am Stat Assoc 47(260):583–621

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kyznarová H, Novák P (2009) CELLTRACK—convective cell tracking algorithm and its use for deriving life cycle characteristics. Atmos Res 93(1):317–327

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Le Monde (2015) Alpes-Maritimes: lourd bilan après des pluies d’une intensité exceptionnelle. Sun Oct 4 2015. http://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2015/10/04/des-crues-dans-les-alpes-maritimes-font-plusieurs-noyes_4782125_3244.html

  • Lepioufle JM, Leblois E, Creutin JD (2012) Variography of rainfall accumulation in presence of advection. J Hydrol 464–465(September):494–504. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2012.07.041

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Llasat MC, Llasat-Botija M, Prat M, Porcú F, Price C, Mugnai A, Lagouvardos K et al (2010) “High-impact floods and flash floods in Mediterranean countries: The FLASH Preliminary Database”. Adv Geosci 23(March):47–55. doi:10.5194/adgeo-23-47-2010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maazouzi C, Piscart C, Legier F, Hervant F (2011) Ecophysiological responses to temperature of the ‘killer shrimp’ Dikerogammarus Villosus: is the invader really stronger than the native Gammarus Pulex? Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 159(3):268–274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahmood R, Pielke RA, Hubbard KG, Niyogi D, Dirmeyer PA, McAlpine C, Carleton AM, Hale R, Gameda S, Beltrán-Przekurat A, Baker B, McNider R, Legates DR, Shepherd M, Du J, Blanken PD, Frauenfeld OW, Nair U s, Fall S (2014) Land cover changes and their biogeophysical effects on climate. Int J Climatol 34:929–953. doi:10.1002/joc.3736

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marchi L, Borga M, Preciso E, Gaume E (2010) Characterisation of selected extreme flash floods in Europe and implications for flood risk management. J Hydrol 394(1–2):118–133. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2010.07.017

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ord JK, Getis A (1995) Local spatial autocorrelation statistics: distributional issues and an application. Geogr Anal 27(4):286–306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Renard F (2010) Le Risque Pluvial En Milieu Urbain, De La Caractérisation de L’aléa À L’évaluation de La Vulnérabilité: Le Cas Du Grand Lyon (Rainfall Risk in Urban Areas. From Hazard Characterisation to Vulnerability Assessment : The Case of the Greater Lyon). Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3, Lyon

    Google Scholar 

  • Renard F, Comby J (2010) Overview of the greater Lyon weather Radar advances from 90’s to 2008. Adv Geosci 25(March):79–83. doi:10.5194/adgeo-25-79-2010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Renard F, Chapon PM, Comby J (2012) Assessing the accuracy of weather radar to track intense rain cells in the greater Lyon Area, France. Atmos Res 103:4–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanchez-Moreno JF, Mannaerts CM, Jetten V (2014) Influence of topography on rainfall variability in Santiago Island, Cape Verde. Int J Climatol 34:1081–1097. doi:10.1002/joc.3747

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schlünzen KH, Hoffmann P, Rosenhagen G, Riecke W (2010) Long-term changes and regional differences in temperature and precipitation in the metropolitan area of Hamburg. Int J Climatol 30:1121–1136. doi:10.1002/joc.1968

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro S, Wilk M (1965) An analysis of variance test for normality (complete samples). Biometrika 52:591–611

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shastri H, Paul S, Ghosh S, Karmakar S (2015) Impacts of urbanization on Indian summer monsoon rainfall extremes. J Geophys Res Atmos 120(2):496–516. doi:10.1002/2014JD022061

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silverman B (1986) Density Estimation for Statistics and Data Analysis. Vol. 26. CRC press, London, UK

  • Sindosi OA, Bartzokas A, Kotroni V, Lagouvardos K (2015) Influence of orography on precipitation amount and distribution in NW Greece: a case study. Atmos Res 152:105–122. doi:10.1016/j.atmosres.2014.06.013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tabary P (2007) The new French operational radar rainfall product. Part 1: methodology. Weather Forecast 22:393–408

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tabary P, Desplats K, Do Khac K, Eideliman F, Gueguen C, Heinrich JC (2007) The new French operational radar rainfall product. Part 2: validation. Weather Forecast 22:409–427

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tarolli P, Borga M, Morin E, Delrieu G (2012) Analysis of flash flood regimes in the North-Western and South-Eastern Mediterranean Regions. Nat Hazards Earth Syst Sci 12(5):1255–1265. doi:10.5194/nhess-12-1255-2012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • The Times (2015) Flash floods bring destruction and death to the Riviera. Mon Oct 5 2015. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/europe/article4575845.ece

  • UNISDR (2011) Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction. Revealing Risk, Redefining Development. United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Secretariat, Geneva, Switzerland

    Google Scholar 

  • Vigneau JP (2005) Climatologie. Armand Colin, Collection Campus, Paris, p 199

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilk K, Gray K (1970) “Processing and Analysis Techniques Used with the NSSL Weather Radar System.”. In: Preprints, 14th Conf. on Radar Meteorology. Amer. Meteor. Soc, Tucson, AZ, pp 369–374

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu, M., Liu, Y (2015) The possible impact of urbanization on a heavy rainfall event in Beijing. J. Geophys. Res. Atmospheres 120, 2015JD023336. doi:10.1002/2015JD023336

  • Zhang CL, Chen F, Miao SG, Li QC, Xia XA, Xuan CY (2009) Impacts of urban expansion and future green planting on summer precipitation in the Beijing metropolitan area. J Geophys Res Atmos 114:D02116. doi:10.1029/2008JD010328

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhong S, Qian Y, Zhao C, Leung R, Yang, X-Q (2015) A case study of urbanization impact on summer precipitation in the Greater Beijing Metropolitan Area: urban heat island versus aerosol effects. J Geophys Res Atmospheres 2015JD023753. doi:10.1002/2015JD023753

  • Zoccatelli D, Borga M, Viglione A, Chirico G, Blöschl G (2011) Spatial moments of catchment rainfall: rainfall spatial organisation, basin morphology, and flood response. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci 15(12):3767–3783. doi:10.5194/hess-15-3767-2011

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was performed within the framework of the UMR 5600 CNRS “Environment, City, Society” (chair of research and higher education: environmental impacts) and the LABEX IMU (ANR-10-LABX-0088) of Université de Lyon, within the program “Investissements d’Avenir” (ANR-11-IDEX-0007) operated by the French National Research Agency (ANR). The author wishes to thank the reviewers who helped a lot to improve the quality of this text and the canis canem edit team for the GIS advices.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3, UMR 5600 CNRS Environnement Ville Société, 18, rue Chevreul, 69007, Lyon, France

    Florent Renard

Authors
  1. Florent Renard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Florent Renard.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Renard, F. Local influence of south-east France topography and land cover on the distribution and characteristics of intense rainfall cells. Theor Appl Climatol 128, 393–405 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-015-1698-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-015-1698-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation