Tracking rainfall contribution in a conceptual runoff model

• A method to track rainfall contribution in a conceptual rainfall-runoff model. • Wetter catchments respond more to short-term rainfall than drier catchments. • Modelled runoff increasingly depends on multi-annual rainfall during extended dry periods. • The method provides insight into the flow generation mechanism. This paper presents a novel method to analyse how conceptual rainfall-runoff models represent the relationship between rainfall and streamflow. Although the effectiveness of concept