Evaluation of the Variation in Wind speed during Rainfall in a Tropical Location

Abstract

This paper presents 6 years one-minute wind speed data obtained from Covenant University, Ota during the period 2012 to 2017. High rainfall accumulation and rain rate are the features experienced in the tropics. This eventually leads to high attenuation of microwave signals propagated at frequency above10 GHz. One factors amongst others that affect the accuracy of the measurement of rainfall is wind speed. Wind speed being one of the key parameters during rainfall, has significant effect on the accuracy of rainfall rate and the propagation of communication signals. For efficient and reliable access communication link there is need for adequate study to mitigate its effect on attenuation in any location of interest. As the wind speed increases during rainfallit induces error in the measurement of rain rate. Hence for adequate and reliable prediction of attenuation, the evaluation of the distribution of wind speed during rainfall is essentialin any locality. The results obtained showed that the average wind speed observed from 2012 to 2017 were 2.8 m/s, 2.7 m/s, 2.3 m/s, 1.4 m/s, 1.5 m/s and 1.5 m/s respectively. From the result obtained, the average wind speed is low.hence, no significant error in the measurement of rainfall accumulation and rain rate in the location of study.