JISAO data

Northeast Brazil rainfall anomaly index

Average February through May standardized rainfall anomalies
historical record 1849-1995

modern record: 1950-95:

The record for 1849-1987 is from Fortaleza and Quixeramobim rain gauge measurements from the NCAR World Monthly Surface Station Climatolgy, and for 1988-95 from Xie and Arkin merged precipitation.

The Fortaleza (3.7S, 38.5W) and Quixeramobim (5.3S, 39.3W) records span 1849-1987 and 1896-1987, respectively. These time series are correlated at 0.80 (0.63) for all calendar months (February through May) for the period 1950-87. The time series are standardized using the climatology and monthly standard deviation for the years 1950-87. The standardized series are averaged and standardized again. This index is called the Fortaleza/Quixeramobim rainfall series (FQI).

FQI values beginning in 1988 are derived from the Xie and Arkin merged precipitation product, which is derived from rain gauge measurements, 5 satellite estimates, and model output. This data set is available for the period 1979-95. The merged rainfall is used in the following manner. The FQI is correlated with the merged rainfall in all calendar months for the common period of record, 1979-87. Nine land gridpoints are found with correlations >= 0.5 (image, PostScript file), and the average of the merged rainfall over these 9 gridpoints is used as a proxy for the FQI. The merged rainfall time series and the FQI are correlated at 0.66 (0.88) for all calendar months (February through May). The merged rainfall time series is standardized to have the same climatology and monthly standard deviation as the FQI during 1979-87. The FQI (bars) and merged rainfall (blue line) series are shown below.


The merged rainfall time series is used to update the FQI to 1995.

ASCII files:
Fortaleza rainfall
Quixeramobim rainfall
Fortaleza/Quixeramobim Index (FQI)

Digital values * 100
       jan  feb  mar  apr  may  jun  jul  aug  sep  oct  nov  dec
 1849  -28  -24  -76  293  131  203   50  -16 -129 -101  -66  -57
 1850  -81  -45 -191  -56  -71   -2  -32  -93  -61 -134  -94  -35
 1851  -85  242  -69   70  123  -41  -23  -81 -142 -134  -38   20
 1852  -41   22    9  -56   17    8  -96  -93 -142 -101  -72   20
 1853 -135 -125   -6   54  -26   29  -58   18  -35  -11  -21  -18
 1854 -129    7 -162   78  139  302  -52  -85 -115 -112  -83  -57
 1855 -149 -104   94  223 -152 -126  -82  -93 -129  -44  -72   31
 1856   14  140   -1  242 -104 -104  -74  -54  -41  180   73   43
 1857  -72   69  -47  150   94  125  -74  -93  -75 -101  -83  -58
 1858 -135  -31 -201   28  172  -54  -63  232  328  -22  184   80
 1859  -88   41  -56  -90   38  125  -41   14  -61  -22  -88  -63
 1860 -101   92  -27   19  110   10   56   22  -82   34  -94   21
 1861  305  -66 -106   46  -99  -58 -104  -54  -75 -112  -33  206
 1862  -53   84   62  -80   51  -17 -101  -12 -122  -56   40  -58
 1863 -107   18 -112   99  -15  151  -48  -28  -75 -101   29  -38
 1864 -103   39 -116   40  -73  -87  -26  -12 -122  -89  -60  -56
 1865  -88  -61 -170  -69   56   79  -26   37  261  866  -27  -57
 1866 -122  -41  245  248  352  141  -63  -93 -102  259   45  -43
 1867 -135  -95  -50 -120  -50   -6  -96  -35  -95 -157  -83  -53
 1868  106  -22  -69  -12  -97    3  -66   79   26  191  -77  -24
 1869  -78  130   24  -99  102  -87  -41   14 -142   68  -83  -56
 1870  -11  -21  127   68   38  -45 -108  -93 -108  338  -72   -9
 1871 -107 -117   -3  -22  -20  -62  234   18   86  169  -83  143
 1872   53  181  184  -96   87  146   81   41  194  -33  -88   42
 1873  270   77   81   83   47   33 -111  -93 -129 -146  440    8
 1874 -103   55   30  -82    7   97  -38   18  -35  -11  -21  -18
 1875 -149   -8   51   40  101  -59  -30  -93  -82 -134  424    1
 1876  -62  -34   76  -25  181  -54  -32  -66 -122  135   29  -62
 1877 -116 -130 -173 -225 -102  -55  -46   83   -8 -157  -49  -63
 1878  -96  -81 -164 -208  -29 -144  -71  -93 -142 -134  -94  -63
 1879  -61 -106 -108 -187  -91 -119 -111  -35  -68  169  -10  -49
 1880 -129 -121  -92  262   53  -31   78   14   59  -33  -38  -11
 1881 -127  -60 -100   69   58   31  153   83 -115 -157  -94  -44
 1882   -5 -120 -113   -4   35   67   72  -43  -75 -157  -94  -45
 1883  144    8   51  175 -101  -87 -111  -93 -115 -123  -83  -63
 1884 -106 -126   22    0  -42 -101 -101    3  -61   45   73  -49
 1885 -149  -91 -113  222  -12  -57    9  -81  187   90  -60  -44
 1886   71  -74  150  -36   -5  -80  -99    7 -102 -101  -27  -51
 1887   39  -87   93  110  -78  -96 -107  -20 -135 -123  -94  -63
 1888  -72  -64 -152 -101 -126  -25  -32  -28 -142 -123  -94  -50
 1889  -96  -61  -75 -207  -50   -9 -111  -66  -41   23  -94  -27
 1890  -38  -37  130    6   80 -118  -20  -58  -61  -56  -77  -16
 1891  -35 -107 -121  -10   80  -90  -66   49 -102 -112   34  -63
 1892 -135  -61 -169   94  -79  -17  -58  -12   19   34  -72  188
 1893  264   34  -33 -106  -22  -82  -92  -51  -21   23  -60   66
 1894  305   89   69  399    4  146  -74  -81 -102   23  273  -38
 1895 -118  -20  212  116  225  145  278  152   80  180  257  -50
 1896  -51  -50  182  121   94  -63   20  240  206  -46  -26  -66
 1897  -21   56   38   17  146   76   58   65    0   -2    4  -67
 1898 -121  -20 -162  -71  -28  -99 -102  -81  -77 -102  -64   76
 1899   -9  222  197   70 -112   59   88  430  -60  -64  -54  -63
 1900  -34  -53 -192 -214  -11  -78  -51  -39  -87 -107  -71  395
 1901  -87   48   58  -66  -43  -38   14  -73   91  218  -17  -65
 1902  -31  -99 -122  -94  -58 -102  -35   30  -63   -7  -54  -55
 1903   72  -58 -106 -156 -141  -92  -78  -85  -57 -107  -54  -59
 1904  -93  -60    5 -136  -65  -57    5  224   -3  -51  -70  -61
 1905  -81  -72   82 -120 -104  -84  -92  -35  155   44  -62  -61
 1906 -116   65  -36   -1  128  -41  -82  -53  -87  -68  -57  -65
 1907  -75  -10 -147 -122 -137  -74  -46   75  -61  102  -49  -58
 1908  -77  -74 -109 -102 -126  -85  -33   -6  -57  160  -40  -62
 1909  -73   24 -184  100 -146 -119 -105  -74 -100 -119  -19   54
 1910   91   50  127   42  180  -77  -74  -88  -94  -17   -5  240
 1911  155  -56   47 -138 -101 -110   11  110  -47  -40  -71   18
 1912   84  200  105   51   60   44  -74   31   36  -85  -65  -68
 1913  -36  229   32   -3   21    6  -45   18    7  -14  -36   59
 1914  133   -8  -75    2    3   46    3  495  -63  173  -47  -66
 1915 -107  -58 -190 -132 -153 -105 -104  -71  -90 -119  -57   62
 1916   -7  -52   65  -26  -37   78 -103  -80  -80 -119   -1  203
 1917  490   49  102   51  130  -14  -64  -48  -22 -114  129  124
 1918    3   -7  -88 -110   36  -11  -26  243   58 -119  -35  -30
 1919   29  -97 -172 -173 -142  -81  -28   34   86  -91  -37  -67
 1920 -117  -87   95   83   66  -20   33  -73   82  196   10   86
 1921   19  233   50   20  169  -43  143  -77   44  -69  277  -46
 1922  -82  -94   25  217  120   27  209   62   -3 -107  158  -38
 1923  -73  110  -47    6 -102  -36   -3  -75  -57  -81  -48  -64
 1924  -31   72  209   90   51  115  -74   42   -1   90  -15   32
 1925   89   11   18   14  -57  -95  -76  -54   13  -43   -3  -55
 1926  -37   49   76   49   -7  -56  -75  -88 -100   26  -28  -66
 1927  -64  -27  -31  121  -41  -66  -24  -85  -77  -69  -20  -33
 1928  -34  -94   50  -54  -72  -62  -96  -83  -36   74  -49  -55
 1929  -75   82  -57  -52   23  -39  -34  -82  -53   65  -35    5
 1930   12  -64 -100  -25 -154   -9  -45  -72  -87   59  -61  -33
 1931   -3   31  -50  -61 -126  -67  -73  -37   22    5  -60  -23
 1932   -7   -5 -138 -149 -149  -57  -68  -20  176  -57  -65  -51
 1933   19  -49  -60   38 -122 -112  -72  -71  -74  -22   -1  -37
 1934   70   85  264  -12  113  -25 -103  -59   33  -91   96   83
 1935   57   88  -29   80  -44    0  -43  -43   10  -38  -47  -44
 1936  -93   33  -12 -153  117   31  -38  -79  -50  -79  -54  -55
 1937 -128   21 -138  -29   68   28    5   -4   94   12  -37  -55
 1938  -11  -90  141  103  -60    5  -76  -47  -47  -57   50  -47
 1939  -81  155   60  -42  -11  -46  -13  -67  280  453  122  -65
 1940  -18  -24   22   69   89   41  -46   34   17    5  -63  -47
 1941 -120  -19  -42  -63 -120  -78   -6    0  -94  -92  -51  -53
 1942 -101  -64 -103 -106 -117 -101  -95  -20 -100   58  -47  102
 1943  -83  -61  -64  -60  -80  -74  -38  171  226 -113  -14  -23
 1944  -23  -83   38   32  -63  -73  -33  -55  -86  -80  -67   48
 1945   79  106 -100   13   92   39   77  -33  -52  -54   -4  -16
 1946  169   69  -60   39 -104  -38  -90  -71  -55  737  -64   99
 1947  -38    0  109   32   21  -74  -65  -84   47  -72  333  118
 1948  -97  -92   78  -45    4   44  -34  -23   16   26  -62  -65
 1949 -109  -38   34    5  192   41  -79   83   40  -96   83  -67
 1950  -29  -48   68   53  -14 -116  -73  -46  -47  -46   -9  -57
 1951 -111 -105 -203  -33 -104   84  -74  -89 -100 -104  146   68
 1952  -63  -65   90   23  -33 -105  -84  -44  -84   -9  -61  -23
 1953  -84  -85 -127   17  -79  -38  -96  -42   -6  -35  -63  -61
 1954  -66  -18  -86 -115  -39  -54  -94  -68  -88  -98  -48  -65
 1955   10  -54  -80   25   10  -96  -83  -34   -4  130  -27   -7
 1956  -92    6  -29  -86 -137  -97  -45  151  -63  -65  -54  -57
 1957   -7 -106   66   93  -83 -105  -72  -37   10    4  -65  -45
 1958 -107 -104 -189 -180  -21  -64   -9  -54  -35  -96  -55  -55
 1959   86  -16   16  -78    4  -45  -99  -38  -42  -48  -44  -50
 1960 -122 -111  133  -12  -39  -70  -47  -73  -71   20  -63  -45
 1961   69  135   -6    3   48  -82   40  -88  -47  -91  -46  -28
 1962  -69  -52   11  -24  -44  -38  -31  -31   14  -78  -24  127
 1963   87   61  181  116 -117  -63  -92  -69  -80 -106   65  142
 1964  275  160  103  134  114  -20   45   93  192  -26  -58  -59
 1965   33 -122  -78  111   51  261  -43  -36  -54  -17  -64  -56
 1966 -106  -17  -88    4   28    8  100  -59   49 -107   -1  -17
 1967  -94  137   60   60  169   -6   45  -23   10  -19  -61  -26
 1968  235  -66  -24  -63   52  -91   20   85  -78  145  -38  -36
 1969   30  -80  134    5  106   43  167    7  -35   -7  -67  -67
 1970   45  -66  -40   68 -145  -72  -72  -22  -87  -51   83  -39
 1971   85   -1  -31  -61  113  108  194   14   -1   50  -31  -48
 1972  -69  -75 -109  -84  -29   46  -21  463  -84  -74  -60  151
 1973   -8  349   -2  119   57   87  282    7  120  253    9  -51
 1974  235   30   53  134  291   45  -35  -10  257  309   19   40
 1975   30  -35   39  -26   63  161  172  -27   -4    3  -35   48
 1976  -85   66   -3   -8  -49  -83  -77  -49  -29   34   14  -53
 1977   98  -34  -19   -3   72  301  144  -20  -77    5   40   31
 1978  -66   96 -117  -80  107  -20  135  -52  104  168  365  -38
 1979  -74  -58  -89 -133   26  -29  -75   14  123  -64  114  -64
 1980   28  200   26 -144 -150   14  -60  -27  -23 -119  -33  -36
 1981   -2  -58  290 -158 -130  -98 -103  -77 -100 -119  -57  460
 1982  -17  -37  -98  -40  -20  -62  -56   69  -33  126  340  -47
 1983 -113   15  -80 -170 -133  -80  -70  -57 -181   15  -71  -31
 1984  -11  -21   23  155  146  111   77   78   40  112  -66  -58
 1985  146  123   78  204  -16   39  166   63   46  -12  -33  194
 1986  -18   95   94  200   81  116  -39  200  356   45  106   -6
 1987  -78  -36   33  -27 -155  109  -37  -73  -48  -31  -68  -36
 1988   29  -32   38  121   54   88  216   70    7   55  122  239
 1989    5 -101  -36  135  198   64  298  221  138  110  156  618
 1990  -79  -18 -201  -43   30   -8  107  189  224   77    0  -46
 1991   11  -64   29  -37   99    3   -1  124 -100    2  -35 -161
 1992   62   11  -77  -88 -105   12   14  -19  111  -80  -65 -100
 1993  -75  -90 -186 -121  -56  -48   32  -42  -56  100    4  -45
 1994   57  -13  -40  -17   80  294   87   13  151  -51  -89   69
 1995  -77   -7 -105   69  146   65   85  -91 -123  -61  194  -54



January 1997
Todd Mitchell (mitchell@atmos.washington.edu)
JISAO data