MINIMUM INTER-EVENT TIMES FOR RAINFALL IN THE EASTERN MONSOON REGION OF CHINA

Minimum inter-event time (MIT) is an index used to delineate independent storms from sub-daily rainfall records. An individual storm is defined as a period of rainfall with preceding and succeeding dry periods less than MIT. The exponential method was used to determine an appropriate MITexp for the eastern monsoon region of China based on observed 1-min resolution rainfall data from 18 stations. Results showed that dry periods between storms greater than MITexp followed an exponential distribution. MITexp values varied from 7.6 h to 16.6 h using 1-min precipitation data, which were statistically not different from values using hourly data at p = 0.05. At least ten years of records were necessary to obtain a stable MIT. Values of storm properties are sensitive to the change in MIT values, especially when MIT values are small. Average precipitation depths across all stations were 45% greater, durations were 84% longer, maximum 30-min intensities were 27% greater, and average rainfall intensities were 20% less when using an MIT of 10 h, the average value of MITexp over 18 stations, compared to 2 h. This indicates that more attention should be paid to the use of the MIT index as it relates to storm properties.