Mapping seasonal and annual extreme precipitation over the Peruvian Andes

Abstract

Seasonal and annual extreme precipitation over the Peruvian Andes have been mapped for the first time. Maps were developed using the most complete, quality‐controlled and homogenous daily precipitation records in Peru from 1973 to 2016. For each observed rain gauge series, we defined parameters as the de‐clustered daily intensity, total precipitation duration, total magnitude and dry‐spell length. Then, we fitted the seasonal and annual series of these variables to a Generalized‐Pareto distribution using a peak‐over‐threshold approach. We estimated the distribution parameters and validated the performance of different thresholds to obtain the best estimation of precipitation probability. We also mapped the distribution parameters obtained for the different meteorological stations using the universal kriging algorithm, accounting for elevation and the distance to the Pacific Ocean as co‐variables. The accuracy of the extreme precipitation maps for a period of 25 and 50 years were validated using a jack‐knife approach. Some of the maps show strong uncertainty given the random spatial distribution of the variables as a consequence of the complex topography and climate of the region. Nevertheless, the maps show a useful general assessment of the spatial distribution of the precipitation hazard probability over the region, providing a good agreement with the estimations obtained in the meteorological stations for some variables and time periods analysed. Extreme precipitation maps over this high‐complex terrain of Peru are of key importance for flood risk assessment, water resources management, crop yield, soil conservation and human settlements.

Spatiotemporal climate variability in the Andes of northern Peru: Evaluation of gridded datasets to describe cloud forest microclimate and local rainfall

“…Heaviest rainfall generally occurs on the first ridge of the Andes, and in premontane forest in Ecuador, stations commonly report 6,000 mm·year −1 on the eastern slopes (Laraque et al ., 2007) while along the length of the Andes TRMM satellite data show rainfall peaks between 1,000 and 1,300 m (Laraque et al ., 2007; Bookhagen and Strecker, 2008; Chavez and Takahashi, 2017). At the lowest point of the Andes around the Marañon River Valley, northern Peru is often considered a “dry spot” (Killeen et al ., 2007) with extreme rainfall events ≤100 mm·day −1 , although 2× this may fall during a day in southern Peru (Domínguez‐Castro et al ., 2018; Rodríguez‐Morata et al ., 2018). Although rainfall magnitude remains unclear, our data support field observations that less accessible northeastern facing slopes in Bosque de Protección Alto Mayo and the Cordillera de Colán receive extensive rainfall (L.G.…”

Maximum and minimum air temperature lapse rates in the Andean region of Ecuador and Peru

“…consisted of homogenizing air temperature by applying relative homogeneity statistics, following the procedure described by Domínguez‐Castro et al . (2018) at a daily scale. Daily missing data were not filled using available data from neighbouring stations, due to large variability of temperature even over short distances.…”

Wind Characteristics and Wind Energy Potential in Andean Towns in Northern Peru between 2016 and 2020: A Case Study of the City of Chachapoyas

“…As a high Andean city, climate studies are scarce due to the lack of a reliable weather station network, which is very common in such cases [38,39]. In the city of Chachapoyas, there are only two meteorological stations.…”