The design of a regional minimum raingauge network

Abstract

This study attempts to design a minimum raingauge network for Uganda. Monthly rainfall totals from 102 stations within the period 1940–75 are used. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used first to delineate Uganda into homogeneous rainfall subdivisions. The station with the highest PCA‐derived communality from each group of stations within each subdivision was then chosen to form the minimum network design. A minimum network of 14 stations was derived. Although less than 50% of the areal rainfall variance was explained in some subdivisions during some rainfall seasons, a minimum network design provides the best climatological data samples that are representative of all the unique rainfall characteristics over the region.