The study aimed to evaluate the space-time variability of rainfall for the period 1970-2000, in Tapacurá river basin, located in Pernambuco State. Many statistical parameters were used to analyze the monthly and annual rainfall, such as mean standard deviation, normalized deviation, fitted equation and coefficient of variability. The study showed a major concentration of rainfall between March and July, when 60% of annual rainfall occurred, and that the dry season occurred between August to February. The annual variability showed a significant decrease of the rainfall in order of -20% compared to the mean rainfall. About rainfall spatial variability, it was verified that it decreases at the direction East-West, and that the periods with low rainfall depths have higher coefficient of variation.
Spatial variability; Kriging; Water resources; GIS; Northeast
