Evaluation and hydrological application of precipitation estimates derived from PERSIANN‐CDR, TRMM 3B42V7, and NCEP‐CFSR over humid regions in China

Satellite-based and reanalysis quantitative precipitation estimates are attractive for hydrologic prediction or forecasting and reliable water resources management, especially for ungauged regions. This study evaluates three widely used global high-resolution precipitation products [Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks-Climate Data Record (PERSIANN-CDR), Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission 3B42 Version 7 (TRMM 3B42V7), and National Centers for Environment Prediction-Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (NCEP-CFSR)] against gauge observations with seven statistical indices over two humid regions in China. Furthermore, the study investigates whether the three precipitation products can be reliably utilized as inputs in Soil and Water Assessment Tool, a semi-distributed hydrological model, to simulate streamflows. Results show that the precipitation estimates derived from TRMM 3B42V7 outperform the other two products with the smallest errors and bias, and highest correlation at monthly scale, which is followed by PERSIANN-CDR and NCEP-CFSR in this rank. However, the superiority of TRMM 3B42V7 in errors, bias, and correlations is not warranted at daily scale. PERSIANN-CDR and 3B42V7 present encouraging potential for streamflow prediction at daily and monthly scale respectively over the two humid regions, whilst the performance of NCEP-CFSR for hydrological applications varies from basin to basin. Simulations forced with 3B42V7 are the best among the three precipitation products in capturing daily measured streamflows, whilst PERSIANN-CDR-driven simulations underestimate high streamflows and high streamflow simulations driven by NCEP-CFSR mostly are overestimated significantly. In terms of extreme events analysis, PERSIANN-CDR often underestimates the extreme precipitation, so do extreme streamflow simulations forced with it. NCEP-CFSR performs just the reverse, compared with PERSIANN-CDR. The performance pattern of TRMM 3B42V7 on extremes is not certain, with coexisting underestimation and overestimation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[1]  S. Sorooshian,et al.  PERSIANN-CDR: Daily Precipitation Climate Data Record from Multisatellite Observations for Hydrological and Climate Studies , 2015 .

[2]  Huiling Qin,et al.  Evaluation of the Warm-Season Diurnal Variability over East Asia in Recent Reanalyses JRA-55, ERA-Interim, NCEP CFSR, and NASA MERRA , 2014 .

[3]  F. Guichard,et al.  Can we use surface wind fields from meteorological reanalyses for Sahelian dust emission simulations? , 2015 .

[4]  Yang Hong,et al.  Error analysis of multi-satellite precipitation estimates with an independent raingauge observation network over a medium-sized humid basin , 2016 .

[5]  Yang Hong,et al.  Comparison of PERSIANN and V7 TRMM Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) products with rain gauge data over Iran , 2013 .

[6]  Fuqing Zhang,et al.  Evaluation of NCEP-CFSR, NCEP-NCAR, ERA-Interim, and ERA-40 Reanalysis Datasets against Independent Sounding Observations over the Tibetan Plateau , 2013 .

[7]  Yudong Tian,et al.  An Error Model for Uncertainty Quantification in High-Time-Resolution Precipitation Products , 2014 .

[8]  Y. Hong,et al.  The TRMM Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA): Quasi-Global, Multiyear, Combined-Sensor Precipitation Estimates at Fine Scales , 2007 .

[9]  Yang Hong,et al.  Evaluation of the successive V6 and V7 TRMM multisatellite precipitation analysis over the Continental United States , 2013 .

[10]  J. Nash,et al.  River flow forecasting through conceptual models part I — A discussion of principles☆ , 1970 .

[11]  Jing Yang,et al.  Comparing uncertainty analysis techniques for a SWAT application to the Chaohe Basin in China , 2008 .

[12]  Li Li,et al.  Evaluation of the real-time TRMM-based multi-satellite precipitation analysis for an operational flood prediction system in Nzoia Basin, Lake Victoria, Africa , 2009 .

[13]  Jan M. H. Hendrickx,et al.  Advanced Concepts on Remote Sensing of Precipitation at Multiple Scales , 2011 .

[14]  Witold F. Krajewski,et al.  Evaluation of Biases of Satellite Rainfall Estimation Algorithms over the Continental United States , 2002 .

[15]  Li-Hua Feng,et al.  Analysis on fuzzy risk of landfall typhoon in Zhejiang province of China , 2009, Math. Comput. Simul..

[16]  Witold F. Krajewski,et al.  New paradigm for statistical validation of satellite precipitation estimates: Application to a large sample of the TMPA 0.25° 3‐hourly estimates over Oklahoma , 2009 .

[17]  Chao Gao,et al.  Investigating the uncertainty and transferability of parameters in SWAT model under climate change , 2016 .

[18]  Hoshin Vijai Gupta,et al.  Do Nash values have value? , 2007 .

[19]  S. Sorooshian,et al.  Evaluation of the PERSIANN-CDR Daily Rainfall Estimates in Capturing the Behavior of Extreme Precipitation Events over China , 2014 .

[20]  H. Wheater,et al.  Evaluation of precipitation products over complex mountainous terrain: A water resources perspective , 2011 .

[21]  Yang Hong,et al.  Hydrologic evaluation of Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis standard precipitation products in basins beyond its inclined latitude band: A case study in Laohahe basin, China , 2010 .

[22]  M. Ek,et al.  Hyperresolution global land surface modeling: Meeting a grand challenge for monitoring Earth's terrestrial water , 2011 .

[23]  K. Abbaspour,et al.  Estimating Uncertain Flow and Transport Parameters Using a Sequential Uncertainty Fitting Procedure , 2004 .

[24]  Peter A. Vanrolleghem,et al.  Sensitivity analysis for hydrology and pesticide supply towards the river in SWAT , 2005 .

[25]  K. Yilmaz,et al.  Evaluation of Multiple Satellite-Based Precipitation Products over Complex Topography , 2014 .

[26]  M. Bosilovich,et al.  Evaluation of the Reanalysis Products from GSFC, NCEP, and ECMWF Using Flux Tower Observations , 2012 .

[27]  Yue‐Ping Xu,et al.  Impact of climate change on hydrology of upper reaches of Qiantang River Basin, East China , 2013 .

[28]  Zhenchun Hao,et al.  Evaluation of satellite precipitation retrievals and their potential utilities in hydrologic modeling over the Tibetan Plateau , 2014 .

[29]  Bart Nijssen,et al.  Effect of precipitation sampling error on simulated hydrological fluxes and states: Anticipating the Global Precipitation Measurement satellites , 2004 .

[30]  M. J. Booij,et al.  Improved simulation of peak flows under climate change: post-processing or composite opjective calibration? , 2015 .

[31]  Shuguang Liu,et al.  Climate change and consequences on the water cycle in the humid Xiangjiang River Basin, China , 2015, Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment.

[32]  Albrecht Weerts,et al.  Post-processing ECMWF precipitation and temperature ensemble reforecasts for operational hydrologic forecasting at various spatial scales ☆ , 2013 .

[33]  L. Bengtsson,et al.  A Comparison of Extratropical Cyclones in Recent Reanalyses ERA-Interim, NASA MERRA, NCEP CFSR, and JRA-25 , 2011 .

[34]  George H. Hargreaves,et al.  Agricultural Benefits for Senegal River Basin , 1985 .

[35]  S. Sorooshian,et al.  Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information Using Artificial Neural Networks , 1997 .

[36]  John R. Williams,et al.  LARGE AREA HYDROLOGIC MODELING AND ASSESSMENT PART I: MODEL DEVELOPMENT 1 , 1998 .

[37]  Yue‐Ping Xu,et al.  Impact of climate change on 24‐h design rainfall depth estimation in Qiantang River Basin, East China , 2012 .

[38]  James P. Verdin,et al.  Adequacy of satellite derived rainfall data for stream flow modeling , 2007 .

[39]  D. Michelson.  Systematic correction of precipitation gauge observations using analyzed meteorological variables , 2004 .

[40]  C. Perrin,et al.  Improvement of a parsimonious model for streamflow simulation , 2003 .

[41]  Christian Onof,et al.  A Comparative Performance Analysis of TRMM 3B42 (TMPA) Versions 6 and 7 for Hydrological Applications over Andean–Amazon River Basins , 2014 .

[42]  S. Sorooshian,et al.  Evaluation and comparison of satellite precipitation estimates with reference to a local area in the Mediterranean Sea , 2014 .

[43]  J. Monteith.  Evaporation and environment. , 1965, Symposia of the Society for Experimental Biology.

[44]  S. Liong,et al.  SWAT use of gridded observations for simulating runoff - a Vietnam river basin study , 2011 .

[45]  Uang,et al.  The NCEP Climate Forecast System Reanalysis , 2010 .

[46]  Yudong Tian,et al.  A global map of uncertainties in satellite‐based precipitation measurements , 2010 .

[47]  Guillaume Thirel,et al.  Investigating the interactions between data assimilation and post-processing in hydrological ensemble forecasting , 2014 .

[48]  J. Janowiak,et al.  COMPARISON OF NEAR-REAL-TIME PRECIPITATION ESTIMATES FROM SATELLITE OBSERVATIONS AND NUMERICAL MODELS , 2007 .

[49]  Arthur P. Cracknell,et al.  Evaluation of Six High-Resolution Satellite and Ground-Based Precipitation Products over Malaysia , 2015, Remote. Sens..

[50]  Tammo S. Steenhuis,et al.  Using the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis as weather input data for watershed models , 2014 .

[51]  Y. Hong,et al.  Similarity and difference of the two successive V6 and V7 TRMM multisatellite precipitation analysis performance over China , 2013 .

[52]  Yang Hong,et al.  Comprehensive evaluation of multi-satellite precipitation products with a dense rain gauge network and optimally merging their simulated hydrological flows using the Bayesian model averaging method , 2012 .

[53]  S. Sorooshian,et al.  Intercomparison of rain gauge, radar, and satellite-based precipitation estimates with emphasis on hydrologic forecasting , 2005 .

[54]  K. Abbaspour,et al.  A sequential uncertainty domain inverse procedure for estimating subsurface flow and transport parameters , 1997 .

[55]  Y. Hong,et al.  Multi-scale evaluation of high-resolution multi-sensor blended global precipitation products over the Yangtze River , 2013 .

[56]  Yang Hong,et al.  Intercomparison of the Version-6 and Version-7 TMPA precipitation products over high and low latitudes basins with independent gauge networks: Is the newer version better in both real-time and post-real-time analysis for water resources and hydrologic extremes? , 2014 .

[57]  Yang Hong,et al.  Assessment of evolving TRMM-based multisatellite real-time precipitation estimation methods and their impacts on hydrologic prediction in a high latitude basin , 2012 .

[58]  Matthias Steiner,et al.  Comparison of Two Methods for Estimating the Sampling-Related Uncertainty of Satellite Rainfall Averages Based on a Large Radar Dataset , 2003 .

[59]  Mekonnen Gebremichael,et al.  Evaluation of High-Resolution Satellite Rainfall Products through Streamflow Simulation in a Hydrological Modeling of a Small Mountainous Watershed in Ethiopia , 2012 .

[60]  Eric F. Wood,et al.  Assessing the skill of satellite‐based precipitation estimates in hydrologic applications , 2010 .

[61]  Yang Hong,et al.  Evaluation of TRMM Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) and Its Utility in Hydrologic Prediction in the La Plata Basin , 2008 .

[62]  Yang Hong,et al.  Multiscale Hydrologic Applications of the Latest Satellite Precipitation Products in the Yangtze River Basin using a Distributed Hydrologic Model , 2015 .

[63]  C. Priestley,et al.  On the Assessment of Surface Heat Flux and Evaporation Using Large-Scale Parameters , 1972 .