From the Proceedings of the 1988 Meetings of the Arizona Section - American Water Resources Association and the Hydrology Section - Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science - April 16, 1988, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona / Seasonal and annual precipitation vary considerably in Arizona, primarily because of topographic influences. Precipitation data have been analyzed by several investigators over the years. Arizona has been subdivided into precipitation zones, and seasonal and annual precipitation isohyetal maps are available from several sources. Because of a paucity of raingages in the more mountainous regions, however, isohyetal lines in these regions have been largely estimated based on the assumptions of topographic influences. Now, with 158 raingages with 30 or more years of record, topographic factors can be combined with greater knowledge of the sources and paths of moisture into the state to better define annual and seasonal precipitation variability. Elevation and aspect appear to be the principal parameters for analyzing precipitation within the state, with the Mogollon Rim exerting the greatest influence on winter precipitation. Higher than anticipated summer rainfall in southeastern Arizona (based on elevation and aspect) suggest that sources and availability of atmospheric moisture may be a strong parameter in analyzing summer rainfall.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/296408 |
| Date | 16 April 1988 |
| Creators | Karnieli, Arnon, Osborn, Herbert B. |
| Contributors | U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Tucson, Arizona 85719 |
| Publisher | Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science |
| Source Sets | University of Arizona |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text, Proceedings |
| Rights | Copyright ©, where appropriate, is held by the author. |
Page generated in 0.0024 seconds