The back circles indicate the location of official Meteo France rain gauges and the numbered squares the gauges used in the research project. The Baril transect is where the heaviest rainfall apparently occurs on a regular basis on the island. Geographic location of rain gauges on the Piton de la Fournaise massif used in the study. Nevertheless, the equipment used in the research project was of exacting standards and the measurement at Baril 1600 was in line with other measurements made in the region during the event. This may be the reason that the WMO has not accepted the Baril 1600 reading, since the gauge was not part of the official Meteo France (French Meteorological Organization) rain gauge network on the island. The article states that the rain gauge at Baril 1600 was part of a 5-year investigation of water resources on the Piton de la Fournaise massif on Reunion Island undertaken by the University of Reunion Island. This rainfall event was the subject of a scholarly article in the December 1997 issue of Monthly Weather Review, Vol. However, the WMO committee does not appear to have been aware of (or dismissed) an even greater 48-hour total that also occurred on Reunion Island on February 27-Mawhen a site identified as Baril 1600 (the 1600 refers to the site’s elevation of 1,600 m/6,300’) measured 3,000.5 mm (118.13”) during an intense generalized rainfall event associated with Tropical Depression Hutelle that affected the island from February 27 to March 5 that year. Previous to the now officially recognized Cherrapunji 48-hour record mentioned above, the previous record was thought to be 2,467 mm (97.13”) set on March 15-17, 1952 at Cilaos, Reunion Island, a French territory in the Indian Ocean. However, this may not be what was truly the greatest 48-hour precipitation record. The figure is said to be an amazing 2,493 mm (98.15”) at Cherrapunji, India that fell on June 15-16, 1995. WMO (World Meteorological Organization) recently announced that a ‘new’ world record for a 48-hour (or two day) period has been confirmed following an investigation by a group of climatologists from around the world. World Rainfall Records for 24- and 48-Hour Periods
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