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RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PRECIPITATION EVENT TYPES AND TOPOGRAPHY IN THE SOUTHERN BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN USA
Author(s) -
KONRAD II CHARLES E.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
international journal of climatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.58
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-0088
pISSN - 0899-8418
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0088(199601)16:1<49::aid-joc993>3.0.co;2-d
Subject(s) - precipitation , ridge , orography , elevation (ballistics) , climatology , orographic lift , geology , altitude (triangle) , physical geography , meteorology , geography , geometry , mathematics , paleontology
Most studies of orographic precipitation have focused on the identification of statistical relationships between several topographic attributes (e.g. elevation, slope, and exposure) and spatial variations in annual precipitation totals. In this study, statistical relationships are developed between topographic attributes exhibiting varying directional components and frequencies of several types of precipitation events. A precipitation‐events climatology is developed first for 44 stations located in a variety of topographic situations in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Frequencies of light, moderate, and heavy precipitation events are compiled from the set of stations and related statistically to a large set of topographic and geographic parameters. To account for seasonal variations, relationships are calculated separately for the cool and warm seasons. In order to find the strongest relationships, topographic parameters that exhibit directional variations (e.g. slope and exposure) are computed with respect to eight different vector directions. Numerous relationships are identified between the precipitation‐event frequencies and the topographic parameters. Most notably, elevation is strongly associated with light event frequencies. The topographic parameters of a south exposure and proximity to the Gulf of Mexico are related to heavy event frequencies, especially during the cool season.