Spatial and temporal patterns of precipitation intensity as observed by the NAME Event Rain Gauge Network from 2002 to 2004

It was found that total precipitation from July to August of 2004 was similar in spatial extent and magnitude to the long-term average, though substantially wetter than 2003. Statistical analyses of precipitation intensity data from the NERN reveal that large precipitation events at hourly and daily time scales are restricted to coastal and low-elevation areas west of the Sierra Madre Occidental. At 10-min time scales, maximum intensity values equal to those at low elevations could be observed at higher elevations though they were comparatively infrequent.

It is also shown that the inclusion of NERN observations in existing operational analyses helps to correct significant biases, which, on the seasonal time scale, are of similar magnitude as the interannual variability in precipitation in key headwater regions of northwest Mexico.