Investigation of Z-R Relationships for Monsoon Seasons over Southern Thailand

This research aimed to study the rainfall estimation with weather radar in southern Thailand. Both precipitation data from Sathing-Phra radar station, Songkhla, and hourly rainfall data from automatic tipping bucket rain gauges are of the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) in 2012-2013. These data were used to study the relationship between radar reflectivity (Z) and intensity of the rainfall (R) in both monsoon season. The rain-rate obtained from radar with Z-R equation was a precise rain estimate method. The calculation provided the rain-rate more accurate than original equation often used. The equation of this study was best used during the northeast monsoon which occurred in rainy season in eastern coast of the South (Thailand's Gulf). However, the result of this study should be improved to estimate rain-rate by radar for southern Thailand and, as input data, applied for applications of early warning systems.