Rainfall maps in northeastern Mexico, a space-time interpolation approach through Kriging and Hurst exponent

Abstract Abstract The planning and efficient use of hydrological resources is a fundamental problem in the semidesert regions of Mexico. Of the hydrological regions, the San Juan River basin, located in northeastern Mexico between the states of Coahuila, Nuevo Le´on and Tamaulipas, is of great importance for the region’s productive and agricultural activities. This work analyses 79 rainfall station records for the period between 1998 and 2018. A kriging-Hurst spatial interpolation model, which generates rainfall maps that allow the identification of areas where rainfall can best be utilized, is presented. In the analysis, the rainfall maps obtained from the spatial interpolation using the ordinary kriging technique were compared with maps generated using the kriging technique combined with the Hurst exponent. As a result of the research, evidence of a strong correlation was found between anti-persistent rainfall patterns and large average annual rainfall averages.