Serra et al. (2025) Evolution of Rainfall Characteristics in Catalonia, Spain, Using a Moving-Window Approach (1950–2022)

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Identification

• Journal: Hydrology
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-07-19
• Authors: C. Serra, M. del Carmen Casas Castillo, Raúl Rodríguez Solá, Cristina Periago
• DOI: 10.3390/hydrology12070194

Research Groups

Not specified

Short Summary

This study analyzes rainfall trends in Catalonia, NE Spain, from 1950 to 2022, finding a significant 10% decrease in annual precipitation and strong correlations between long-term oscillations and the NAO and AMO indices.

Objective

• To analyze the evolution of rainfall characteristics (mean values and coefficients of variation) in Catalonia across annual, seasonal, and monthly scales.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Catalonia, Northeast Spain (72 rain gauge stations).
• Temporal Scale: 1950–2022.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Moving-window approach (31-year overlapping periods), modified Mann–Kendall test, and fourth-degree polynomial pattern analysis.
• Data sources: Monthly precipitation data from 72 rain gauges; large-scale climate indices (North Atlantic Oscillation - NAO and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation - AMO).

Main Results

• Annual Rainfall: Significant overall decrease of 10%.
• Seasonal/Monthly Trends: Summer exhibited the most pronounced decline (~90% of stations). February, March, June, August, and December showed reductions between 20% and 30% at over 50% of stations.
• Variability: The coefficient of variation (CV) showed negative trends in coastal areas and mostly positive trends in inland areas.
• Periodicity: Identified a 30–35 year periodicity in trend coefficients at annual and seasonal scales.
• Climate Drivers: 80-year oscillations in annual and centennial series were inversely correlated with the NAO and AMO indices.

Contributions

• Provides a comprehensive multi-scale analysis of rainfall evolution in Catalonia, distinguishing between coastal and inland variability and linking local precipitation trends to multidecadal global climate oscillations.

Funding

Not specified

Citation

@article{Serra2025Evolution,
  author = {Serra, C. and Castillo, M. del Carmen Casas and Solá, Raúl Rodríguez and Periago, Cristina},
  title = {Evolution of Rainfall Characteristics in Catalonia, Spain, Using a Moving-Window Approach (1950–2022)},
  journal = {Hydrology},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.3390/hydrology12070194},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology12070194}
}