def get_rainfall_data(self, interval='season'):
        """
        get rainfall data for JSBACH
        returns Data object
        """

        if interval == 'season':
            pass
        else:
            raise ValueError('Invalid value for interval: %s' % interval)

        #/// PREPROCESSING: seasonal means ///
        s_start_time = str(self.start_time)[0:10]
        s_stop_time = str(self.stop_time)[0:10]

        filename1 = self.data_dir + self.experiment + '_echam6_BOT_mm_1980_sel.nc'
        tmp = pyCDO(filename1, s_start_time, s_stop_time).seldate()
        tmp1 = pyCDO(tmp, s_start_time, s_stop_time).seasmean()
        filename = pyCDO(tmp1, s_start_time, s_stop_time).yseasmean()

        #/// READ DATA ///

        #1) land / sea mask
        ls_mask = get_T63_landseamask(self.shift_lon)

        #2) precipitation data
        try:
            v = 'var4'
            rain = Data(filename, v, read=True, scale_factor=86400.,
                        label='MPI-ESM ' + self.experiment, unit='mm/day', lat_name='lat', lon_name='lon',
                        shift_lon=self.shift_lon,
                        mask=ls_mask.data.data)
        except:
            v = 'var142'
            rain = Data(filename, v, read=True, scale_factor=86400.,
                        label='MPI-ESM ' + self.experiment, unit='mm/day', lat_name='lat', lon_name='lon',
                        shift_lon=self.shift_lon,
                        mask=ls_mask.data.data)

        return rain