Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Short Exercise 3: Spatial Interpolation of Precipitation Data
Table
3.4
shows monthly total precipitation (mm) at three meteorological stations
in Alberta, Canada. Olds Station is located between two other stations, approxi-
mately 50 km south of Red Deer and 70 km north of Calgary. The first three
columns list the long term average for 1971-2000; the last three columns list the
data recorded in 2010. The 2010 data for Olds are missing.
1. Using the normal ratio method (Eq.
3.7
), estimate monthly total precipitation in
Olds for the three missing months.
2. Actual precipitation data recorded at the Olds station were 77 mm for June,
85 mm for July, and 79 mm for August. Discuss the magnitude of uncertainty
associated with this method.
Table 3.4 Long-term average monthly precipitation and 2010 monthly precipitation (mm) at
three meteorological stations in Alberta, Canada
1971-2000 average 2010
June July Aug. June July Aug.
Red Deer 84 92 70 138 144 62
Calgary 80 68 59 64 66 87
Olds 90 87 65 ___ ___ ___
Data source: Environment Canada National Climate Data and Archive (
http://climate.weatheroffice.
