Use of TRMM in determining the climatic characteristics of rainfall over Bangladesh

Five years of data from 1998 to 2002 of TRMM-3B42 version 5 (V5), 3B43 V5, 3B42 version 6 (V6), 3B43 V6, and the Bangladesh Meteorological Department rain-gauge network were analyzed to understand the climatic characteristics of rainfall over Bangladesh. TRMM-PR 2A25 data were used to obtain the precipitation field of the convection events. Daily rainfall measured by TRMM V5 3B42 was compared to that of rain-gauge values from pre-monsoon to post-monsoon months (March–November). The time sequence patterns of the daily rainfall determined by the V5 3B42 and those from rain gauges were remarkably similar. The spatial and temporal averages of rainfall revealed good estimations of rainfall: during March to November, the V5 3B42- and rain gauge-estimated daily rainfall was 8.12 and 8.34 mm, respectively. In annual scale, TRMM V5 3B42-, V5 3B43-, V6 3B42-, V6 3B43- and rain-gauge estimated rainfall was 6.9, 6.4, 6.6, 6.8 and 7.1 mm/day, respectively. The average percentage of rainy days determined by V5 3B42 data with respect to the rain-gauge value was 96%. TRMM is useful for estimating the average values of rainfall in Bangladesh. The prominent difference between rainfall estimated by rain-gauge and V5 3B42 was found to be period- and location-dependent. The V5 3B42 overestimated the rainfall during the pre-monsoon period and in dry regions but underestimated it during the monsoon period and in wet regions. The reason for the differences according to season and locations is considered to be the vertical cross section of convection obtained by TRMM-PR 2A25 data. The rainfall overestimation in pre-monsoon and underestimation in monsoon period measured by V5 3B42 is reduced to reasonable amount by V6 3B42 and V6 3B43. In this manner, the merit of using TRMM data for climatological studies of rainfall over Bangladesh is shown.