Homogeneous Regionalization via L-Moments for Mumbai City, India

Abstract

This study identified homogeneous rainfall regions using a combination of cluster analysis and the L-moments approach. The L-moments of heavy rainfall events of various durations (0.25, 1, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h) were analysed using seasonal (June-September) rainfall measurements at 47 meteorological stations over the period 20062016. In the primary phase of this study, the homogeneity of Mumbai as a single region was examined by statistical testing (based on L-moment ratios and variations of the L-moments). The K-means clustering approach was applied to the site characteristics to identify candidate regions. Based on the most appropriate distribution, these regions were subsequently tested using at-site statistics to form the final homogeneous regions. For durations above 1h, the regionalisation procedure delineated six clusters of similarly behaved rain gauges, where each cluster represented one separate class of variables for the rain gauges. However, for durations below 1h, the regionalisation procedure was not efficient in the sense of identifying homogeneous regions for rainfall. Furthermore, the final clusters confirmed that the spatial variation of rainfall was related to the complex topography, which comprised flatlands (below or at mean sea level), urban areas with high rise buildings, and mountainous and hilly areas.