Abstract
Using a high-density automatic weather stations (AWS) dataset of hourly rainfall observations, the present study investigates the relationship between rainfall and elevation in the Beijing area, and further proposes a rainfall amount dependent parameterized algorithm considering the elevation effect on rainfall on hourly timescale. The parameterization equation is defined as a segmented nonlinear model, which calculates the mountain rainfall as a function of valley rainfall amount. Results show that there exists an evident enhancement of rainfall amount by elevation effect in the Beijing area. In particular, larger rainfall amount is generally found in higher mountains, especially for slight rain and moderate rain. Furthermore, six representative station pairs located in valleys and on mountains respectively are selected to estimate the values of optimal parameters in the parameterization equation. The parameterization algorithm of elevation dependence can produce a reduction in the root-mean-square error and obtain a much closer mountain rainfall total to the observations compared with those using no elevation dependence. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of rainfall is more realistic and accurate in mountainous terrain when elevation dependence is considered. This study helps to understand the variability of rainfall with complex terrain in the Beijing area, and gives a possible way to parameterize rainfall-elevation relationship on hourly timescale.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barry, R. G., 1992: Mountain Weather and Climate. Routledge, London, 313 pp.
Basist, A., G. D. Bell, and V. Meentemeyer, 1994: Statistical relationships between topography and precipitation patterns. J. Climate, 7, 1305–1315, doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(1994)007<1305:SRBTAP>2.0.CO;2.
Bergeron, T., 1965: On the low-level redistribution of atmospheric water caused by orography. Proceedings of the International Conference on Cloud Physics, IAMAP/WMO, Tokyo, 96–100.
Chen, Z. K., and S. Y. Zhang, 2010: Review and outlook of land-form influences on rainfall weather systems. Arid Meteorology, 28, 460–466, doi: https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1006-7639.2010.04.015. (in Chinese)
Cotton, W. R., and R. A. Anthes, 1989: Storm and Cloud Dynamics. Academic Press, San Diego, 880 pp.
Daly, C., R. P. Neilson, and D. J. Phillips, 1994: A statistical-topographic model for mapping climatological precipitation over mountainous terrain. J. Appl. Meteor., 33, 140–158, doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1994)033<0140:ASTMFM>2.0.CO;2.
Duan, W. S., L. Y. Song, Y. Li, et al., 2013: Modulation of PDO on the predictability of the interannual variability of early summer rainfall over South China. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 118, 13008–13021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JD019862.
Fu, B. P., 1992: The effects of topography and elevation on precipitation. Acta Geogr. Sinica, 47, 302–314. (in Chinese)
Hagen, M., and S. A. Yuter, 2003: Relations between radar reflectivity, liquid-water content, and rainfall rate during the MAP SOP. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 129, 477–493, doi: https://doi.org/10.1256/qj.02.23.
Haiden, T., and G. Pistotnik, 2009: Intensity-dependent parameterization of elevation effects in precipitation analysis. Adv. Geosci., 20, 33–38, doi: https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-20-33-2009.
Haiden, T., A. Kann, G. Pistotnik, et al., 2009: Integrated Now-casting through Comprehensive Analysis (INCA)-System Description. ZAMG Report, Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik, Vienna, Austria, 60 pp.
Hao, L. S., and Y. H. Ding, 2012: Progress of precipitation research in North China. Prog. Geogr., 31, 593–601, doi: https://doi.org/10.11820/dlkxjz.2012.05.007. (in Chinese)
Jiang, X. M., H. L. Yuan, M. Xue, et al., 2014: Analysis of a heavy rainfall event over Beijing during 21–22 July 2012 based on high resolution model analyses and forecasts. J. Meteor. Res., 28, 199–212, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13351-014-3139-y.
Kitchen, M., and R. M. Blackall, 1992: Representativeness errors in comparisons between radar and gauge measurements of rainfall. J. Hydrol., 134, 13–33, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1694(92)90026-r.
Liao, F., Y. C. Hong, and G. G. Zheng, 2007: Review of orographic influences on surface precipitation. Meteor. Sci. Technol., 35, 309–316, doi: https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1671-6345.2007.03.001. (in Chinese)
Liu, W. D., H. L. You, G. Y. Ren, et al., 2014: AWS precipitation characteristics based on K-means clustering method in Beijing area. Meteor. Mon., 40, 844–851. (in Chinese)
Meischner, P., Ed., 2004: Weather Radar: Principles and Advanced Applications. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 337 pp, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-05202-0.
Miao, S. G., F. Chen, Q. C. Li, et al., 2011: Impacts of urban processes and urbanization on summer precipitation: A case study of heavy rainfall in Beijing on 1 August 2006. J. Appl. Meteor. Climatol., 50, 806–825, doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/2010JAMC2513.1.
Purdy, J. C., G. L. Austin, A. W. Seed, et al., 2005: Radar evidence of orographic enhancement due to the seeder feeder mechanism. Meteor. Appl., 12, 199–206, doi: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1350482705001672.
Robichaud, A. J., and G. L. Austin, 1988: On the modelling of warm orographic rain by the seeder-feeder mechanism. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 114, 967–988, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.49711448207.
Sharples, J. J., M. F. Hutchinson, and D. R. Jellett, 2005: On the horizontal scale of elevation dependence of Australian monthly precipitation. J. Appl. Meteor., 44, 1850–1865, doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/JAM2289.1.
Singh, P., and N. Kumar, 1997: Effect of orography on precipitation in the western Himalayan region. J. Hydrol., 199, 183–206, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1694(96)03222-2.
Smith, R. B., 1979: The influence of mountains on the atmosphere. Adv. Geophys., 21, 87–230, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2687(08)60262-9.
Smith, R. B., 1989: Mechanisms of orographic precipitation. Meteor. Mag., 118, 85–88.
Song, L. Y., and W. S. Duan, 2015: Interannual relationship between the winter Aleutian low and rainfall in the following summer in South China. Atmos. Oceanic Sci. Lett., 8, 271–276, doi: https://doi.org/10.3878/AOSL20150021.
Sun, J. S., 2005: The effects of vertical distribution of the lower level flow on precipitation location. Plateau Meteor., 24, 62–69, doi: https://doi.org/10.3321/j.issn:1000-0534.2005.01.010. (in Chinese)
Sun, J. S., and B. Yang, 2008: Meso-β scale torrential rain affected by topography and the urban circulation. Chinese J. Atmos. Sci., 32, 1352–1364, doi: https://doi.org/10.3878/j.issn.1006-9895.2008.06.10. (in Chinese)
Wang, N., L. F. Zhang, J. Peng, et al., 2014: Numerical study of the effects of local terrain on “7.21” extreme torrential rain in Beijing. Torrential Rain and Disasters, 33, 10–18, doi: https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1004-9045.2014.01.002. (in Chinese)
Wang, Y. C., T. T. Qian, Y. G. Zheng, et al., 2003: Analysis and diagnosis of a local heavy rain in Miyun county, Beijing. J. Appl. Meteor. Sci., 14, 277–286, doi: https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1001-7313.2003.03.003. (in Chinese)
Wang, Y., L. Han, and H. Q. Wang, 2014: Statistical characteristics of convective initiation in the Beijing-Tianjin region revealed by six-year radar data. J. Meteor. Res., 28, 1127–1136, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13351-014-3061-3.
Wang, Y., I. Meirold-Mautner, A. Kann, et al., 2017: Integrating nowcasting with crisis management and risk prevention in a transnational and interdisciplinary framework. Meteor. Z., 26, 459–473, doi: https://doi.org/10.1127/metz/2017/0843.
Weisse, A. K., and P. Bois, 2001: Topographic effects on statistical characteristics of heavy rainfall and mapping in the French Alps. J. Appl. Meteor., 40, 720–740, doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(2001)040<0720:TEOSCO>2.0.CO;2.
Yang, P., G. Y. Ren, H. Wei, et al., 2013: Spatial and diurnal characteristics of summer rainfall over Beijing Municipality based on a high-density AWS dataset. Int. J. Climatol., 33, 2769–2780, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.3622.
Yang, P., Z. N. Xiao, and W. J. Shi, 2017: Fine-scale characteristics of rainfall in Beijing urban area based on a high-density autonomous weather stations (AWS) dataset. Chinese J. Atmos. Sci., 41, 475–489, doi: https://doi.org/10.3878/j.issn.1006-9895.1606.16134. (in Chinese)
Yin, S. Q., W. J. Li, D. L. Chen, et al., 2011: Diurnal variations of summer precipitation in the Beijing area and the possible effect of topography and urbanization. Adv. Atmos. Sci., 28, 725–734, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-010-9240-y.
Zhang, D.-L., Y. H. Lin, P. Zhao, et al., 2013: The Beijing extreme rainfall of 21 July 2012: “Right results” but for wrong reasons. Geophys. Res. Lett., 40, 1426–1431, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/grl.50304.
Zhao, W., W. Chen, S. F. Chen, et al., 2019a: Inter-annual variations of precipitation over the monsoon transitional zone in China during August-September: Role of sea surface temperature anomalies over the tropical Pacific and North Atlantic. Atmos. Sci. Lett., 20, e872, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/asl.872.
Zhao, W., S. F. Chen, W. Chen, et al., 2019b: Interannual variations of the rainy season withdrawal of the monsoon transitional zone in China. Climate Dyn., 53, 2031–2046, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-019-04762-9.
Zheng, Z. F., H. Gao, Z. W. Wang, et al., 2014: Analysis on spatial distribution of precipitation in Beijing and its city effect. Plateau Meteor., 33, 522–529. (in Chinese)
Zhou, W., 2012: Before and after the rainstorm in Fangshan county, Beijing. China Newsweek, 47–48, published on 6 August 2012. (in Chinese)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41605031), National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFF0300102 and 2018YFC1507504), and Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Plan (Z151100002115012).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Song, L., Chen, M., Gao, F. et al. Elevation Influence on Rainfall and a Parameterization Algorithm in the Beijing Area. J Meteorol Res 33, 1143–1156 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13351-019-9072-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13351-019-9072-3