A PRECIPITATION CLIMATOLOGY OF THE ALPS FROM HIGH-RESOLUTION RAIN-GAUGE OBSERVATIONS

摘要: A new precipitation climatology covering the European Alps is presented. The analysis covers entire mountain range including adjacent foreland areas and exhibits a resolution of about 25 km. It based on observations at one densest rain-gauge networks over complex topography world-wide, embracing more than 6600 stations from high-resolution Alpine countries. determined daily analyses bias-uncorrected, quality controlled data for 20 year period 1971‐1990. fields were produced with an advanced distance-weighting scheme commonly adopted global scale. paper describes baseline seasonal means derived fields. results depict mesoscale distribution climate, its relations to topography, cycle. Gridded are also provided in digital form. most prominent effects include enhancement along foothills, shielding inner-Alpine valleys. detailed section across demonstrates that simple precipitation‐height relationship does not exist scale, because much topographic signal associated slope rather height effects. Although systematic biases measurement clustering corrected for, qualitative validation results, using existing national climatologies shows good agreement mesoscale. Furthermore comparison made between present sections Legates Willmott Greater Climate Research Unit (University East Anglia). Results indicate pattern magnitude analysed critically depend upon density available procedure adopted. © 1998 Royal Meteorological Society.