ANALYSIS OF MONTHLY RAINFALL OF THE BASIN OF THE RIVER BRIGIDA IN SEMI-ARID PERNAMBUCO, USING THE METHOD OF WARDS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine rainfall homogeneous regions within the basin of the river Brígida, using data from monthly rainfall of six meteorological stations, with series sample of 29 years, 1964 to 2006. The selection criteria for the posts were not that the series had flaws and that the years were concurrent. With these criteria were selected municipalities of Melbourn, Moreilândia, Trinidad, IPUB, Eshu, Spalding, Ayr, Serrita and Bodocó, located in the basin of the river Brígida, semiarid state of Pernambuco. It was used in the study method hierarchical cluster of Ward, with the measure of dissimilarity the Euclidean distance. The municipalities of Moreilândia, Serrita, Melbourn, Ayr and Bodocó have formed a group and thus have quantitative indices of similar rainfall. This evidence proved to be necessary to ensure the adherence of the analysis, which is aimed to identify profiles of relationship between the municipalities of precipitation analyzed.