Rainfall Intensity and Hydrographs

The video tutorial discusses the variability of precipitation and how it is organized into discrete events called storms. It introduces hydrographs as a tool to plot precipitation over time, using Vancouver as an example. The tutorial also explores the relationship between rainfall intensity and duration, highlighting an inverse relationship where intensity decreases as the duration increases.

What do hydrologists typically call discrete precipitation events?

• Floods

• Drizzles

• Storms

• Showers

What is a hydrograph used for?

• Plotting precipitation over time

• Measuring temperature changes

• Recording humidity levels

• Tracking wind speed

In a typical annual hydrograph for Vancouver, when is it most rainy?

• Autumn

• Winter

• Summer

• Spring

What unit is used on the vertical axis of a daily precipitation plot?

• Millimeters per month

• Millimeters per hour

• Millimeters per day

• Millimeters per year

How does rainfall intensity change with longer averaging durations?

• It increases

• It decreases

• It remains constant

• It fluctuates randomly

What type of scale is used to plot rainfall intensity and duration?

• Quadratic scale

• Semi-logarithmic scale

• Exponential scale

• Linear scale

What does a semi-logarithmic scale help illustrate in rainfall studies?

• The seasonal changes in wind patterns

• The direct relationship between temperature and humidity

• The inverse relationship between rainfall intensity and duration

• The constant rate of precipitation

What happens to rainfall intensity during short bursts?

• It is very low

• It is unpredictable

• It is moderate

• It is extremely high

What can cause the rainfall intensity-duration curve to shift up or down?

• The wind speed

• The type of precipitation

• The geographical location

• The time of day

What is the general trend of the relationship between rainfall intensity and duration?

• Cyclic relationship

• No relationship

• Inverse relationship

• Direct relationship