Rain cell size statistics from rain gauge data for site diversity planning and attenuation prediction

Cell size statistics for the rainfall types in Durban, South Africa have been derived from a five-year, one-hour integration time series rain gauge network data. The data have been converted to their equivalent one-minute integration time values and processed to determine the cell sizes for different rain rate above threshold values between 3 mm/h and 20 mm/h. The results are then compared to the cell size statistics from oneminute integration time data from disdrometer measurements taken for two years. By the use of the terrestrial link attenuation data obtained for Durban, the advection velocity for the stratiform rain has been derived as 6 m/s. The equivalent rain cell diameter model which is an input requirement in the proposed rain attenuation prediction equation and site diversity separation distance has been derived.