Identification and validation of homogeneous rainfall zones in India using correlation analysis

Abstract

Daily rainfall data obtained from 1025 rain gauges spread across the country over 51 years (1951–2001) are subjected to correlation analysis to identify homogeneous rainfall zones over India. In contrast to earlier studies, which were based on seasonal/annual rainfall, the present study identifies homogeneous rainfall regions with the help of seasonal [southwest monsoon (SWM) and northeast monsoon (NEM)] and annual rainfall. India is divided into 26 (20) homogeneous rainfall zones using annual and SWM (NEM) rainfall. The delineated homogeneous regions are compared and contrasted with those defined by earlier studies, employing a variety of schemes. The interseries correlations of rainfall within each zone are found to be better when the zones are identified by the present study than by other studies. The tests that are performed to evaluate coherency of zones reveal that the zones are homogeneous not only at different temporal scales (interannual and intraseasonal) but also in terms of rain amount, rain frequency, and rain type. Although the delineation of coherent zones is done using interannual/seasonal rainfall data, these zones exhibit coherency in rainfall variations at intraseasonal scale. Nevertheless, the degree of homogeneity is different for rainfall variations occurring at different temporal scales. Further, the zones show better coherency in excess rainfall years than in deficit rainfall years. Longer-term utility of the delineated zones is studied by examining delineated zones and their coherency in the first and second half of the total data period. Although the regions remain the same in both the periods, the coherency is reduced in the second half, suggesting that the homogeneity of regions may vary in the future.