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Updated: Apr 16, 2026
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A Protocol for Conducting Rainfall Simulation to Study Soil Runoff
Published on: April 3, 2014
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Reconciling spatial and temporal soil moisture effects on afternoon rainfall
Benoit P Guillod1, Boris Orlowsky1, Diego G Miralles2
1Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
Nature Communications
|March 6, 2015
Summary
Soil moisture
Area of Science:
- Earth and Environmental Science
- Atmospheric Science
- Hydrology
Background:
- The relationship between soil moisture and precipitation is a complex and debated topic in atmospheric science.
- Previous studies have reported conflicting findings, with some suggesting a positive temporal effect and others a negative spatial effect of soil moisture on rainfall.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the coexistence and interplay of spatial and temporal soil moisture effects on precipitation.
- To reconcile conflicting observations regarding soil moisture's influence on rainfall patterns.
Main Methods:
- Utilized remote-sensing data to analyze soil moisture conditions and precipitation events.
- Employed a common analysis framework to assess spatial and temporal correlations between soil moisture and rainfall.
- Examined afternoon precipitation events in relation to surrounding and preceding soil moisture conditions.
Main Results:
- Afternoon precipitation events were found to occur during wet and heterogeneous soil moisture conditions.
- These events were preferentially located over comparatively drier patches within the landscape (negative spatial effect).
- Spatial and temporal correlations with opposite signs were observed within the same dataset, indicating a complex relationship.
Conclusions:
- The study reconciles the concepts of moisture recycling with local, spatially negative feedbacks.
- Positive temporal coupling may enhance precipitation persistence, while negative spatial coupling contributes to regional land surface homogenization.
- The findings highlight the nuanced role of soil moisture heterogeneity in modulating precipitation patterns.
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