Spatial properties of cloud cover and rainfall rate based on data from spanish sites

Accurate information on the spatial properties of both cloud cover and rainfall rate is needed for the development of specific Propagation Impairment Mitigation Techniques (PIMTs) required for satellite telecommunication and high-altitude platforms (HAP) systems. A statistical study of both phenomena has been performed in Spain in the framework of COST Action 280. Cloud cover distribution for individual sites and correlation characteristics for pairs of sites, for both cloud cover and rainfall rate, have been investigated. The geographical distributions of the values obtained from the statistical analysis have been represented in maps of contour lines. The maps derived from correlation statistics taking a given site as reference reveal a significant influence of climatic and geographic factors such as weather fronts, orography or the proximity to the seaboard.