Frequencies and Characteristics of Global Oceanic Precipitation from Shipboard Present-Weather Reports

Abstract

Ship reports of present weather obtained from the Comprehensive Ocean–Atmosphere Data Set are analyzed for the period 1958–91 in orderto elucidate regional and seasonal variations in the climatological frequency, phase, intensity, and character of oceanic precipitation. Specific findings of note include the following: The results of this study suggest that many current satellite rainfall estimation techniques may substantially underestimate the fractional coverage or frequency of precipitation poleward of 50° latitude and in the subtropical dry zones. They also draw attention to the need to carefully account for regional differences in the physical and spatial properties of rainfall when developing calibration relationships for satellite algorithms.