Spatio-temporal patterns of seasonal rainfall in Spain (1912-2000) using cluster and principal component analysis: comparison

Abstract. In this work, cluster and principal component analysis are used to divide Spain in a limited number of climatically homogeneous zones, based on seasonal rainfall for 32 Spanish localities for the period 1912–2000. Using the hierarchical technique of clustering Ward's method, three clusters have been obtained in winter and spring, and four clusters have been obtained in summer and autumn. Results are similar to those obtained by applying principal component analysis. Centroid series of each cluster and principal component series of each EOF have been compared to analyze the temporal patterns. The comparison of both methods indicates that cluster analysis is suitable to establish spatio-temporal patterns of seasonal rainfall distribution in Spain.

Key words. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (climatology; precipitation; general or miscellaneous)