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The spatial organization of daily rainfall over Mallorca, Spain
Author(s) -
Sumner Graham,
Ramis Clemente,
Guijarro José A.
Publication year - 1993
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/joc.3370130107
Subject(s) - climatology , elevation (ballistics) , altitude (triangle) , physical geography , sea breeze , prevailing winds , geography , geology , meteorology , geometry , mathematics
Daily rainfall affinity areas are derived for the island of Mallorca using four years of data, and a 96 × 96 intersite correlation matrix. An initial visual impression of the nature of rainfall organization is afforded by the mapping of correlation links between sites. The Serra de Tramontana form a climatological as well as topographic barrier, producing a marked alignment in spatial rainfall occurrence in that part of the island. Elsewhere ‘core’ sites are identified, about which rainfall correlation is high for distances of up to 15 km. These centre on higher elevation locations in the Serra de Llevant and in the central area, and also the Palma and Campos coastal embayments. Use of rotated principal components and cluster analyses applied to the correlation matrices permits the division of the island into seven major rainfall areas. The uplands of the north‐west and east of the island provide clear units in terms of both exposure and altitude, and their general exposure to prevailing rain‐bearing winds appears important, whilst an urban effect due to Palma and clear sea‐breeze convergence effects near the centre of the island are also implied.