GPCP Pentad Precipitation Analyses: An Experimental Dataset Based on Gauge Observations and Satellite Estimates

Abstract

As part of the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP), analyses of pentad precipitation have been constructed on a 2.5Њ latitude-longitude grid over the globe for a 23-yr period from 1979 to 2001 by adjusting the pentad Climate Prediction Center (CPC) Merged Analysis of Precipitation (CMAP) against the monthly GPCP-merged analyses. This adjustment is essential because the precipitation magnitude in the pentad CMAP is not consistent with that in the monthly CMAP or monthly GPCP datasets primarily due to the differences in the input data sources and merging algorithms, causing problems in applications where joint use of the pentad and monthly datasets is necessary. First, pentad CMAP-merged analyses are created by merging several kinds of individual data sources including gauge-based analyses of pentad precipitation, and estimates inferred from satellite observations. The pentad CMAP dataset is then adjusted by the monthly GPCP-merged analyses so that the adjusted pentad analyses match the monthly GPCP in magnitude while the high-frequency components in the pentad CMAP are retained. The adjusted analyses, called the GPCP-merged analyses of pentad precipitation, are compared to several gauge-based datasets. The results show that the pentad GPCP analyses reproduced spatial distribution patterns of total precipitation and temporal variations of submonthly scales with relatively high quality especially over land. Simple applications of the 23-yr dataset demonstrate that it is useful in monitoring and diagnosing intraseasonal variability. The Pentad GPCP has been accepted by the GPCP as one of its official products and is being updated on a quasi-real-time basis.

Definition and predictability of an OLR‐based West African monsoon onset

“…Rainfall data have been selected from satellite products like the CMAP, (Xie and Arkin, 1997) and the GPCP datasets, Xie et al, 2003). These Satellite estimates are available on a 2.5 × 2.5°lat-itude/longitude grid at a 5-day time-scale over the period .…”

Analysis of the FGOALS Simulation on East Asian Westerly Jet in CMIP5 during the Meiyu Season

“…The precipitation data analyzed here include the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) [15]. Although the simulated period is 1850-2005, our analysis is focused mainly on the Meiyu period from 1960 to 2005.…”

Change of precipitation intensity spectra at different spatial scales under warming conditions

“…The spatial resolution of the GPCP is 2.5°×2.5°, and the temporal resolution is total precipitation in five consecutive days (pentad) [22]. Global temperatures are provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Climatic Data Center (NOAA/NCDC), produced from blended land and ocean datasets [23].…”