Tutorial 1: RAINFALL AND EVAPORATION ANALYSIS

Table 1 shows the rainfall data for long rains period of March to May and short rains October to
December 2002. Plot the histograms for each month. Plot the frequency curve for the entire record.
TABLE 1.
THE METEOROLOGICAL DEPT
DAGORETTI CORNER STATION
DAILY AMOUNTS in mm
DATE
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

MARCH
TR
8.4
40.9
1.3
0
8.5
0
0
14.6
11.7
TR
1.3
0
0
0
0.7
0
0
0.8
0.3
0
0
0.3
0.3
0
1.2
0
0
0
0
0

APRIL
TR
1.3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
TR
3.4
0
TR
8.9
17.0
1.9
0.1
0.5
15.1
0.7
28.5
4.2
1.1
2.7
0
0
12.0
18.3
86.6

MAY
19.2
16.4
0.4
30.5
0.5
2.3
16.8
1.3
4.6
6.6
1.8
15.6
0.8
0
0
0
16.1
TR
TR
7.9
2.1
TR
0
0
0
TR
0
TR
0
0
0

OCTOBER
0.5
0.3
0.4
2.2
TR
18.7
2.1
TR
0.6
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5.8
0
0
4

NOVEMBE
R
24.7
1
4.8
33
9.9
1.9
0
0
2
TR
TR
19.6
24.3
10.2
4.5
TR
0
TR
0
0
0
4.3
2.4
0
1.1
11
0.5
3.5
0
0

NB: TR REFERS TO ANY RAINFALL AMOUNT LESS THAN 0.1 MM

All solutions MUST be done using an excel spread sheet.

DECEMBER
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.8
0
2.7
1.4
0.6
4.6
TR
0
0.2
2.5
0.5
TR
0
0
TR
0
0
0
0
0
0

1. Sketch, label and describe the tilting siphon and the tipping bucket rain gauges.
2. In a pan measurement study the results presented in table2 were used to estimate
the weekly evaporation for the catchment, determine its value.
Table 2
Date
Rainfall (mm)
Hook gauge (mm)

1st
0
20

2nd
2.3
21.1

3rd
0
20.1

4th
8.9
27.4

5th
12.7
39.4

6th
0
37.6

7th
0
35.3

3. Using the data in Table 1, determine the following;

a. Average monthly rainfalls
b. Total monthly rainfalls.
c. Plot the rainfall hyetograph for the station.
d. Plot the cumulative rainfall for the two seasons.
4. For the catchment in figure 1 compare the value of the average rainfall using the
Arithmetic mean, Thiessen Polygon, and the Isohyetal Methods.
Figure 1- All rainfall in mm; grid 1km by 1km

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35

65

55

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