GPCP

Global Precipitation Climatology Project

Completed

https://www.gewex.org

Type of Structure:	coordinated project
Regional Scope:	global
Parent Organisations:	GEWEX.WCRP, ..ICSU, ..IOC
Child Organisations:
Duration :	0 to 2008 COMPLETED
Contact Address:	no office contact defined

General information and objectives

One of the major goals of the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) is to develop a more complete understanding of the spatial and temporal patterns of global precipitation. Data from over 6,000 rain gauge stations, and satellite geostationary infrared and passive microwave observations have been merged to estimate monthly rainfall on a 2.5 degree global grid from mid-1987 to the present. The GPCP's Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC) maintains a collection of high quality rain gauge measurements which are used to prepare comprehensive land-based rainfall analyses. The careful combination of satellite-based rainfall estimates provides the most complete analysis of rainfall available to date over the global oceans, and adds necessary spatial detail to the rainfall analyses over land. In addition to the combination of these data sets, careful examination of the uncertainties in the rainfall analysis is provided as part of the GPCP products.

The GPCP data have already been found capable of revealing changes in observed precipitation on seasonal to interannual time scales and in validating model generated precipitation from the NCEP/NCAR and ECMWF re-analysis systems. GPCP also offers the potential for studying changes in the distribution of precipitation at longer time scales such as predicted by GCM simulations, especially in the pattern change over data void ocean areas. GPCP estimates can validate both the magnitude and the spatial pattern of modeled rainfall to within the estimated error of the observations. However, realization of the full potential for the GPCP to provide precipitation estimates for climate change studies, especially over the oceans, requires further research and development. Specifically, investigation of inhomogeneities in the GPCP satellite component data sets, and enhanced calibration and validation efforts, especially over open oceans, are required.


For further details, link to the GPCP Home Page

Last update: 4/27/22
Source of data: ProClim- Research InfoSystem (1993-2024)

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