Mapping the representativeness of precipitation measurements in Mainland China

Abstract Meteorological observations provide essential data for weather forecasting and climate change studies. Whether the measured can accurately support such applications closely relates to representativeness of collected, which depends on both scale observation density measurement network. Precipitation presents in form events is discontinuous time space. Gauge precipitation could fundamental but have difficulty quantitatively assessing system scale. Therefore, assessments at synoptic climatological scales remain needed. Here, we show first high-resolution map over Mainland China based latest satellite data. Our results that daily spatial consistency highest eastern lowest Tibetan Plateau. However, pattern monthly different Northeast Plain, Loess Plateau, Middle–Lower Yangtze Plain. Compared rain gauges, find current national station network with ∼2400 stations still has supporting studies western China. data, reference sufficient, except Plateau deserts no available stations. For studies, quality gauge more important than its density. great practical significance considering layout gauges.