Simple, Practical Method for Determining Station Weights Using Thiessen Polygons and Isohyetal Maps

Abstract

A simple, practical method for computing station weights, which are commonly used in operational (i.e., real-time) hydrologic modeling, is presented. The weights are derived using Thiessen polygons and widely available isohyetal information. The method is shown to eliminate long-term bias associated with the difference between the spatial distribution of precipitation implied by Thiessen polygons and the more accurate spatial distribution depicted by an isohyetal map.