Article
Evaluation of satellite-based precipitation estimates over Algeria during 1998-2016
JOURNAL OF ATMOSPHERIC AND SOLAR-TERRESTRIAL PHYSICS
Babaousmail Hasssen，Hou Rongtao，Ayugi Brian，Gnitou Gnim Tchalim
Abstract
This study concentrated on the assessment of two operational high-resolution satellite-based rainfall products, Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) and NOAA CPC Morphing Technique (CMORPH) over Algeria. The assessment was carried out for a duration of 19-years ranging between 1998 and 2016 using 20 rain gauge datasets. The study area can be divided into five regions (zones) according to Koppen climate classification (CSA, BSK, BWK, BSH, and BWH). Both satellite derived rainfall estimates (SRE); (CHIRPS and CMORPH) were evaluated over these regions. Continuous statistics was employed to measure their performance in evaluating and reproducing rainfall while categorical statistics employed on daily time scale to assess the ability of SRE in detecting rain/no rain events. Correlation Coefficient (R), Bias and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) are employed on daily, monthly as well as on annual timescales. At daily scale, most SRE showed unsatisfactorily performance over all the five regions with exception for CMORPH products exhibiting better performance. However, as the time step augmented, the performance of SRE enhanced. At monthly time scale a higher agreement was observed. The CHIRPS performed the best (R = 0.9), whereas CMORPH-CRTv1.0 showed relatively weaker but good correlation (R = 0.83). At annually time scale CHIRPS has a better performance in CSA, BSK regions, on the other hand CMORPH demonstrate a better results BSH, BWK, BWH regions. The study demonstrate that reliable evaluation of rainfall in Algeria with different climate zones employing satellite-based precipitation estimation products remains a challenge.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jastp.2019.105139
