An analysis of the influence of an atmospheric mesoscale system which occurred on Thursday, February 14, 2002, on the volume of water stored in the Boqueirão Reservoir of the Paraíba State in Northeast Brazil is presented here. This analysis was made through the observed precipitation and volume for the period of the occurrence of the system and it shows that the largest activity of this system occurred early in the night of Feb. 14 and continued through the morning of Feb. 15. To evaluate the contribution of this system to the volume of the reservoir, hourly observed volumes and precipitation, satellite images and other meteorological variables were used and the result showed a pronounced increase in the volume of this reservoir due to the precipitation of that system which caused the end of water rationing in the municipality of Campina Grande.
precipitation; mesoscale convective system; water rationing
