Quintana‐Seguí et al. (2017) Validation of a new SAFRAN-based gridded precipitation product for Spain and comparisons to Spain02 and ERA-Interim

Identification

• Journal: Hydrology and earth system sciences
• Year: 2017
• Authors: Pere Quintana Seguí, Marco Turco, Sixto Herrera, Gonzalo Miguez‐Macho
• DOI: 10.5194/hess-21-2187-2017

Research Groups

• Observatori de l'Ebre (OE), Universitat Ramon Llull – CSIC
• Department of Applied Physics, University of Barcelona (UB)
• Meteorology Group, Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Universidad de Cantabria
• Grupo de Física No Lineal, Universidade de Santiago Compostela

Short Summary

This study validates a new high-resolution SAFRAN-based gridded precipitation product for Spain by comparing its daily performance against Spain02 and ERA-Interim using rain gauge observations, finding that SAFRAN and Spain02 perform similarly well but both overestimate light precipitation days and underestimate intense events.

Objective

• To validate the quality of a new high-resolution SAFRAN-based gridded precipitation dataset for Spain at the daily time scale and compare its performance against the existing Spain02 product and the global reanalysis ERA-Interim.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Spain (entirety).
• Temporal Scale: Daily time scale, covering the period from 1979/1980 to 2013/2014 (approximately 34 years).

Methodology and Data

• Models used: SAFRAN (Système d'Analyse Fournissant des Renseignements Atmosphériques à la Neige) meteorological analysis system.
• Data sources:
  • New SAFRAN-based gridded precipitation dataset (high-resolution).
  • Spain02 gridded precipitation dataset (high-resolution).
  • ERA-Interim reanalysis product (low-resolution).
  • Independent rain gauge data (observations) used for validation.

Main Results

• The new SAFRAN product was validated as robust, showing scores very similar to Spain02, although Spain02 slightly surpassed SAFRAN.
• Both high-resolution products (SAFRAN and Spain02) significantly outperformed the low-resolution ERA-Interim, particularly in capturing the effects of relief on precipitation patterns.
• ERA-Interim demonstrated a surprisingly high skill in reproducing precipitation spells, contrasting with the lower skill observed in the high-resolution products.
• High-resolution gridded products generally overestimate the number of precipitation days (SAFRAN more than Spain02), a bias likely caused by the interpolation method.
• Both SAFRAN and Spain02 underestimate high precipitation events, with SAFRAN showing a greater tendency toward underestimation than Spain02. These biases (overestimation of low events and underestimation of intense episodes) are expected to have hydrological consequences when used to force land surface models.

Contributions

• Provides the first detailed validation and quality assessment of the newly extended SAFRAN-based precipitation dataset for the entirety of Spain over a long period (1979–2014).
• Offers a direct, quantitative comparison of three key precipitation products (SAFRAN, Spain02, ERA-Interim) relevant for forcing Land Surface Models (LSMs) in the Iberian Peninsula.
• Identifies critical biases in the high-resolution products regarding the frequency and intensity of precipitation events, informing users about potential limitations for hydrological modeling.

Funding

• [Information not provided in the source text.]

Citation

@article{QuintanaSeguí2017Validation,
  author = {Quintana‐Seguí, Pere and Turco, Marco and Herrera, Sixto and Miguez‐Macho, Gonzalo},
  title = {Validation of a new SAFRAN-based gridded precipitation product for Spain and comparisons to Spain02 and ERA-Interim},
  journal = {Hydrology and earth system sciences},
  year = {2017},
  doi = {10.5194/hess-21-2187-2017},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-2187-2017}
}

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