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Abstract The atmospheric water vapor flux divergence and certain aspects of the water balance of Eastern North America are investigated, using data from the period May 1, 1958, to Apr. 30, 1963. Mean monthly values of evapotranspiration and storage change are computed as residuals, using measured values of vapor flux divergence, precipitation, and streamflow. Computations are performed for regions varying in size from 42 × 105 km2 to approximately 5 × 105 km2. The results for the smaller areas, which are the least reliable, are critically examined. Computed values of evapotranspiration and storage change are compared with the climatological estimates Thornthwaite Associates and Budyko. The Thomthwaite climatic water balance data appear to overestimate , the difference between precipitation and evapotranspiration, during winter and underestimate it during summer. Budyko's values of evapotranspiration generally show a slightly smaller seasonal variation and appear to lead the values obtained from the atmosp...
Eugene M. Rasmusson (Mon,) studied this question.