A best-fit probability distribution for the estimation of rainfall in northern regions of Pakistan

• Main Authors: Amin M. T., Rizwan M., Alazba A. A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: De Gruyter 2016-01-01
• Series: Open Life Sciences
• Subjects: rainfall; probability distributions; goodness of fit tests; rainfall estimates
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1515/biol-2016-0057

This study was designed to find the best-fit probability distribution of annual maximum rainfall based on a twenty-four-hour sample in the northern regions of Pakistan using four probability distributions: normal, log-normal, log-Pearson type-III and Gumbel max. Based on the scores of goodness of fit tests, the normal distribution was found to be the best-fit probability distribution at the Mardan rainfall gauging station. The log-Pearson type-III distribution was found to be the best-fit probability distribution at the rest of the rainfall gauging stations. The maximum values of expected rainfall were calculated using the best-fit probability distributions and can be used by design engineers in future research.