The analysis of the possibility of using 10-minute rainfall series to determine the maximum rainfall amount with 5 minutes duration

¹ Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Plac Grunwaldzki 13, 50-377 Wrocław, Poland
² Institute of Meteorology and Water Management – National Research Institute, Podleśna Street 61, 01-673 Warsaw, Poland

^* Corresponding author: bartosz.kazmierczak@pwr.edu.pl

Abstract

Modern scientific research in the area of heavy rainfall analysis regarding to the sewerage design indicates the need to develop and use probabilistic rain models. One of the issues that remains to be resolved is the length of the shortest amount of rain to be analyzed. It is commonly believed that the best time is 5 minutes, while the least rain duration measured by the national services is often 10 or even 15 minutes. Main aim of this paper is to present the difference between probabilistic rainfall models results given from rainfall time series including and excluding 5 minutes rainfall duration. Analysis were made for long-time period from 1961–2010 on polish meteorological station Legnica. To develop best fitted to measurement rainfall data probabilistic model 4 probabilistic distributions were used. Results clearly indicates that models including 5 minutes rainfall duration remains more appropriate to use.