Total precipitation

Datasets and Usage C3S - Datasets and Usage
1

Hi,

Can anyone help me? I downloaded ERA5 monthly data for Madagascar from 1950 to 1990. I want to calculate the average total precipitation for those years. I converted the units to millimeters by multiplying the values by 1000, but the maximum value I got was only 93 mm. However, in Madagascar, the annual total precipitation can be around 2500 mm, for example.

I’m very confused. Is there something else I need to do in the formula?

Thanks for the help

2

Hi, you should multiply each monthly value by the number of days in that month. So the correct formula would be:
ERA5 * 1000 * days (in that month, don’t forget 29 days for February in leap years)
This will give you the total monthly precipitation in millimeters.

Hope it helps!

3

Thanks Ale! It’s clear now