Correction of Global Precipitation Products for Orographic Effects

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Abstract
Underestimation of precipitation in topographically complex regions plagues most gauge-based gridded precipitation datasets. Gauge locations are usually in or near population centers, which tend to lie at low elevations relative to the surrounding terrain. For hydrologic modeling purposes, the resulting bias can result in serious underprediction of observed flows. A hydrologic water balance approach to develop a globally consistent correction for the underestimation of gridded precipitation in mountainous regions is described. The adjustment is based on a combination of the catchment water balances and variations of the Budyko E/P versus/P curve. The method overlays streamflow measurements onto watershed boundaries and then performs watershed water balances to determine “true” precipitation. Rather than relying on a modeled runoff ratio, evaporation is estimated using the Budyko curves. The average correction ratios for each of 357 mountainous river basins worldwide are spatially distributed acro... Abstract Underestimation of precipitation in topographically complex regions plagues most gauge-based gridded precipitation datasets. Gauge locations are usually in or near population centers, which tend to lie at low elevations relative to the surrounding terrain. For hydrologic modeling purposes, the resulting bias can result in serious underprediction of observed flows. A hydrologic water balance approach to develop a globally consistent correction for the underestimation of gridded precipitation in mountainous regions is described. The adjustment is based on a combination of the catchment water balances and variations of the Budyko E/P versus/P curve. The method overlays streamflow measurements onto watershed boundaries and then performs watershed water balances to determine “true” precipitation. Rather than relying on a modeled runoff ratio, evaporation is estimated using the Budyko curves. The average correction ratios for each of 357 mountainous river basins worldwide are spatially distributed acro...