ABEN 55a – LECTURE 01
CHAPTER 2 Introduction to Hydrometeorology
The hydrologic cycle; climatic elements; streamflow
hydrographs; evaporation and evapotranspiration;
groundwater; hydrograph and runoff analysis;
statistical treatment of hydrologic data; study and
use of hydrometerological instruments.
Basic Concepts of Hydrometeorology
Hydrology – science that encompasses the
occurrence, distribution, movement and properties
of the waters of the earth and their relationship with
the environment within each phase of the hydrologic
cycle. (USGS)
Occurrence – phenomenon or existence
Movement – act of changing place
Properties – attribute or characteristic
Meteorology - scientific study of the atmosphere
that focuses on weather processes and forecasting
• Therefore, hydrology is the study of the
waters in earth and how they interact with the
environment.
• On the other hand, meteorology is science
dealing with the atmosphere and its
phenomena, including weather and climate.
Hydrologic Cycle - cycle that treats the storage,
transport and transformation of water in the
atmosphere-earth system
Also called the water cycle, the hydrologic cycle
governs the weather system in earth. Rainfall,
clouds, rivers, seas; they are all related and are
interconnected continuously powered by the sun.
Hydrometeorology - study of both the atmospheric
and terrestrial phases of the hydrologic cycle, with
emphasis on the interrelationship between them (i.e.
the transfers of water and energy between the land
surface and the lower atmosphere).
• Hydrometeorology is the application of
meteorology to problems that pertain to
hydrology. The atmospheric phases of the
hydrologic cycle refer to the forms of water
such as cloud, dew, rainfall, etc. while the
terrestrial phases include runoff, storage in
lakes and seas, etc.
• The subject of hydrometeorology
encompasses a wide variety of topics that
are of high interest in programs involving the
atmospheric sciences, the transport of
moisture in the atmosphere, surface- water
and soil-water hydrology, earth-surface and
atmospheric interactions, and techniques in
engineering mathematics.
• Atmospheric sciences – include
climatology, air quality and meteorology.
• This science aims to develop tools for water
management and for the observation and
prediction of hydrometeorological
phenomena and to develop models to help in
the early detection and warning of floods.
• One of the most important functions of
hydrometeorology is the use of mathematics
in the forecast of hydrometeorological
phenomena in order to avoid or at least
minimize the risk to humans and their
environment.
The Hydrologic Cycle - The cycle that treats the
storage, transport and transformation of water in the
atmosphere-earth system is called the Hydrologic
Cycle.
• The cycling of water shapes our weather
and climate, supports plant growth, and
makes life itself possible.
• 71% of the earth’s surface is covered by
the ocean.
 ABEN 55a – LECTURE 01
Transport of Water
Evaporation - is the process by which water
changes from a liquid to a gas or vapor. It is the
primary pathway that water moves from the liquid
state back into the water cycle as atmospheric water
vapor.

Runoff - water, from rain, snowmelt, or other

sources, that flows over the land surface.
Interflow - also known as subsurface runoff – the
relatively rapid flow of water toward the stream
channel that occurs below the surface.
Transpiration – the process of water movement
through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts, Baseflow - the portion of the streamflow that is
such as leaves, stems and flowers sustained between precipitation events, fed to
streams by delayed pathways.
Evapotranspiration – Loss of water from the soil
both by evaporation from the soil surface and by
transpiration from the leaves of the plants growing
on it.
Precipitation – the release of water from clouds in
the form of rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow, or hail. It
is the primary connection in the water cycle that
provides for the delivery of atmospheric water to the
Earth.

Transformation of Water

• liquid to gas
(evaporation/evapotranspiration)
• gas to liquid (condensation eg cloud
formation)
• gas to solid (deposition eg snow formation)
• solid to liquid (snowmelt)

Infiltration - the process by which water on the

ground surface enters the soil.
Percolation - the slow movement of water through
the pores in soil or permeable rock.
 ABEN 55a – LECTURE 01
Size of reservoirs and percent of water in hydrologic cycle
Reservoir Size (volume of water % of Water in
in km3 x 10,000,000) Hydrologic Cycle
Oceans 1370 97
Polar Ice and Glaciers 29 2
Groundwater 9.5 0.7
Lakes 0.125 0.01
Soils 0.065 0.005
Atmosphere 0.013 0.001
Rivers and Streams 0.0017 0.0001
Biosphere 0.0006 0.00004
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