Abstract
Rainfall series in two large sectors of Northeast Brazil (Nordeste) and indicative atmospheric/oceanic fields over the tropical Atlantic are studied in terms of their characteristic time and space variability. Spatial couplings between rainfall and surface circulation are first explored using simple correlation. Spectral analysis of rainfall reveals relative maxima of power in the frequency bands of 12.7-14.9, 4.5-4.9, and 2.2-2.4 years. The spatial linkages are further examined by maps of the phase relationships in these three preferred bands.
