U.S.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WEATHER BUREAU

LUTHER H. HODGES, Secretary F. W. REICHELDERFER, Chief

TECHNICAL PAPER NO. 40

RAINFALL FREQUENCY ATLAS OF THE UNITED STATES

for Durations from 30 Minutes to 24 Hours and
Return Periods from I to 100 Years
Prepared by
DAVID M. HERSHFIELD
Cooperative Studies Section, Hydrologic Services Division
for
Engineering Division, Soil Consen:ation Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture

WASHINGTON, D.C.
May 1961

Repaginated and Reprinted January 1963

For eale by the Superintendent of Doeumenta. U.S. Government Printing Office, Waabington 25, D.C. Price .1.25
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WEATHER BUREAU

TECHNICAL PAPER NO. 40

RAINFAIJIA FREQUENCY ATLAS OF THE UNITED STATES

for Durations from 30 Minutes to 24 Hours and
Return Periods from I to 100 Years

WASHINGTON, D.C.
May 1961

Repaginaaed and Reprinted Jannary 1963

 Weather Bureau Technical Papers
•No. 1. Ten-year normals of pressure tendencies and hourly station pressures for the United
States. Washington, D.C. 1943.
•stJpplement: Normal 3-hourly pressure 9hanges for the United States at the !nter-
mediate synoptic hours. Washington, D.C. 1945. ' No.
•No. 2. Maximum recorded United States point rainfall for 6 minutes to 24 hours at 207
first order stations. Washington, D.C. 1947.
*No. 3. Extreme temperatures in the upper air. Washington, D.C. 1947.
•No .. 4. Topographically adjusted normal isohyetal maps for western Colorado. Washington,
t
D.C. 1947.
•No. 6. Highest persisting dewpoints in western United States. Washington, D.C. 1948.
•No. 6. Upper air average values of temperature, pressure, and relathre humidity over the
• United States and Alaska. Washington, D.C. 1945 .
*No. 7. A report on thunderstorm conditions affecting flight operations. Washington, D.C.
1948.
*No. 8. The climatic handbook for Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. 1949.
•No. 9. Temperature at selected stations in the United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto
Rico. Washington, D.C. 1949.
No. 10. Mean precipitable water in the United States. Washington, D. C. 1949. .30
No. 11. Weekly mean values of daily totalsolar and sky radiation. , Washington, D.C. 1949.
.15. Supplement No. 1, 1955. .05. ' Region, 1960.
•No. 12. Sunshine and cloudiness at selected stations in the United States, Alaska, Hawaii,
and Puerto Rico. Washington, D.C. 1951.
No. 13. Mean monthly and annual evaporation data from free water surface for the United
States Alaska Hawaii and the West Indies. Washington, D.C.' 1950. .15
•No. 14. Tabl~ of pre~ipitable' water and other factors for a saturated pseudo-adiabatic
atmosphere. Washington, D.C. 1951.
No. 15. Maximum station precipitation for 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours: Part I: Utah, Part II:
Idaho, 1951, each .25; Part III: Florida, 1952, .45; Part IV: Maryland, Delaware,
and District of Columbia; Part V: New Jersey, 1953, each .25; Part VI: New
England, 1953, .60; Part VII: South Carolina, 1953, .25; Part VIII: Virginia, 1954,
.50; Part IX: Georgia, 1954, .40; Part X: New York, 1954, .60; Part XI: North
Carolina; Part XII: Oregon, 1955, each .55; Part XIII: Kentucky, 1955, .45; Part
XIV: Louisiana; Part XV: Alabama, 1955, each .35; Part XVI: Pennsylvania, 1956,
.65; Part XVII: Mississippi, 1956, .40; Port XVIII: West Virginia, 1956, .35; Part
XIX: Tennessee, 1956, .45; Part XX: Indiana, 1956, .55; Part XXI: Illinois, 1958,
.50; Part XXII: Ohio, 1958, .65; Part XXIII: California, 1959, $1.50; Part XXIV:
Texas, 1959, $1.00; Part XXV: Arkansas, 1960, .50.
*No. 16. Maximum 24-hour precipitation in the United States. Washington, D.C. 1952.
No. 17. Kansas-Missouri floods of June-July 1951. Kansas City, Mo. 1952. .60
*No. 18. Measurements of diffuse solar radiation at Blue Hill Observatory. Washington, D.C.
1952.
No. 19. Mean number of thunderstorm days in the United States. Washington, D.C. 1952.
. 15
Weather Bureau Technical Papers for sale by Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D.C.
No. 20.
Tornado occurrences in the United States. Washington, D.C. 1952. .35
*No. 21.Normal weather charts for the Northern Hemisphere. Washington, D.C. 1952.
*No. 22.Wind patterns over lower Lake Mead. Washington, D.C. 1953.
23.Floods of April1952-Upper Mississippi, Missouri, Red River of the North. Wash-
ington, D.C. 1954. $1.00
No. 24. Rainfall intensities for local drainage design in the United States. For durations of
5 to 240 minutes and 2-, 5-, and 10-year return periods. Part I: West of 115th
meridian. Washington, D.C. 1953, .20; Part II: Between 105° W. and 116° W.
Washington, D.C. 1954. , .16
No. 26. Rainfall intensity-duration-frequency curves. For selected stations in the United
States, Alaska, Hawaiian Islands, and Puerto Rico. Washington, D.C. 1955. .40
No. 26. Hurricane rains and floods of August 1955, Carolinas to New England. Washington,
D.C. 1956. ' $1.00
*No. 27. The climate of the Matanuska Valley. Washington, D.C. 1956.
*No. 28. Rainfall intensities for local drainage design in western United States. For durations
'' of 20 minutes to 24 hours and 1- to 100-year return periods. Washington, D.C. 1956.
No. 29. Rainfall intensity-frequency regime. Part 1-The Ohio Valley, 1957, .30; Part 2- ,
Southeastern United States, 1958, $1.25; Part 3-The Middle Atlantic Region,
1958, .30; Part 4-Northeastern United States, 1959, $1.25; Part 6-Great Lakes
· $1.50
No. 30. Tornado deaths in the United States. Washington, D.C. 1957. .50
No. 31. Monthly normal temperatures, precipitation, and degree days. Washington, D.C.
1956. .25
No. 32. Upper-air climatology of the United States. Part 1-Averages for isobaric surfaces,
height, temperature, humidity, and density. 1957, $1.25; Part 2-Extremes and
standard deviations of average heights and temperatures. 1958, .65; Part 3-Vector
winds and shear. 1959. .50
No. 33. Rainfall and floods of April, May, and June 1957 in the South-Central States. Wash-
ington, D.C. 1958. $1.75
No. 34. Upper wind distribution statistical parameter estimates. Washington, D.C. 1958.
.40
No. 35. Climatology and weather services of the St. Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes.
Washington, D.C. 1959. .45
No. 36. North Atlantic tropical cyclones. Washington, D.C. 1959. $1.00
No. 37. Evaporation maps for the United States. Washington, D.C. 1959. .65
No. 38. Generalized estimates of probable maximum precipitation for the United States west
of the 105th meridian for areas to 400 square miles and durations to 24 hours. Wash-
ington, D.C. 1960. $1. 00
No. 39. Verification of the Weather Bureau's 30-day outlooks. Washington, D.C. 1961.
. ~
•out of print•
 PREFACE
This publication is intended as a convenient summary of empirical relationships, working guides, and maps, useful
in practical problems requiring rainfall frequency data. It is an outgrowth of several previous Weather Bureau
publications on this subject prepared under the direction of the author and contains an expansion and generalization
of the ideas and results in earlier papers. This work has been supported and financed by the Soil Conservation Service,
Department of Agriculture, to provide material for use in developing planning and design criteria for the Watershed
Protection and Flood Prevention program (P.L. 566, 83d Congress and as amended).
The paper is divided into two parts. The first part presents the rainfall analyses. Included are measures of the
quality of the various relationships, comparisons with previous works of a similar nature, numerical examples, discus-
sions of the limitations of the results, transformation from point to areal frequency, and seasonal variation. The second
part presents 49 rainfall frequency maps based on a comprehensive and integrated collection of up-to-date statistics,
several related maps, and seasonal variation diagrams. The rainfall frequency (isopluvial) maps are for selected
durations from 30 minutes to 24 hours and return periods from 1 to 100 years.
This study was prepared in the Cooperative Studies Section (Joseph L. H. Paulhus, Chief) of Hydrologic Services
Division (William E. Hiatt, C¥ef). Coordination with the Soil Conservation Service, Department of Agriculture, was
maintained through Harold 0. Ogrosky, Chief, Hydrology Branch, Engineering Division. Assistance in the study was
received from several .people. In particular, the author wishes to acknowledge the help of William E. Miller who
programmed the frequency and duration functions and supervised the processing of all the data; Normalee S. Foat
who supervised the collection of the basic data.; Howard Thompson who prepared the maps for analysis; Walter T.
Wilson, a former colleague, who was associated with the development of a large portion of the material presented here;
Max A. Kohler, A. L. Shands, and Leonard L. Weiss, of the Weather Bureau, and V. Mockus and R. G. Andrews, of
the Soil Conservation Service, who reviewed the manuscript and made many helpful suggestions. Caroll W. Gardner
performed the drafting.

CONTENTS
Paae Page
PREFACE ____ ----------- ___ --------------------------------- __ ---------------------------------------------------- ii PARTS II: CHARTS-Continued
INTRODUCTION-------- _________ --- _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 9.-2-year 1-hour rainfalL _______ ----------- _______________________ : ________________ --------- __________________ _ 16
10.-5-year 1-hour rainfalL _____________________________________________________________________________________ _ 17
Historical review------- ________ --- _____ - _____________ ---- _______________________ - ____ ---------------------- ____ _ 11.-10-year 1-hour rainfalL ______ - _____________________________________________________________________________ _
General approach.----- ______ ----- __ ---- ___ --- ___ -------- ____________ -- __ -- ____ ---_---------- _________ ---- __ -- __ 18
12.-25-year !-hour rainfalL _____ -- _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 19
PART I: AN ALYSES.--- _________________________________________________________________ ---- ________ ---- __ ------_ 13.-50-year 1-hour rainfalL _____ -- _____________________________________________________________________________ _
Basic data. _____ ---- ____________ - _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 20
1 14.-100-year 1-hour rainfalL ____________________________._______________________________________________________ _ 21
Duration analysis.--- __________ -_- ___________________ ---- ____________ - ___ -- ____ --- ___ ------- ___________ --- _____ _ 2 15.-1-year 2-hour rainfalL ____________________________________ ------- _______________ ------------------- ________ _ 22
Frequency analysis.-- __________________________________________________________________________________________ _ 2 16.-2-year 2-hour rainfalL ____ ---- _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 23
Isopluvial maps ___ ----- __________ - _____ - _____________ ---- ____________ - ___ -- ____ --- ___ -------- ____________ - ___ --_ 4 17 .-5-year 2-hour rainfall. _______ - _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 24
Guides for estimating durations and/or return periods not presented on the maps---------------------------------------- 5 18.-10-year 2-hour rainfalL _____ --- ____________________________________________________________________________ _ 25
Comparisons with previous rainfall frequency studies._------- __________ ---_-----------------------_----------------- 6 19.-25-year 2-hour rainfalL. ___ --- _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 26
Probability considerations _________ - ___________ -- ____ ------ ___________ -- ___ -- __ -----_--------- ______ ------------ __ 6 20.-50-year 2-hour rainfalL ____ --- ____________________ : _____________________________________.___________________ _ 27
Probable maximum precipitation (PMP) ____ ----- _---------- ________ --- -- -·---- ------------------------------------- 6 21.-100-year 2-hour rainfalL __ ----_- _______ - ___ -- __ -_- __ ----- _____ ----_- ___________ - ___________ - _______________ _ 28
Area-depth relationships. _____________________ - _____ ------ __________ -------- ___ ----_--------- _________ --------- __ 7 22.-1-year 3-hour rainfalL _____ --- _________________________ -- ____ ---_- _________________________________________ _ 29
Seasonal variation ______________ --- __ --- __ ----- ___ ---------- ______ ----------------------------- ___ ------------- __ 7 23.-2-year 3-hour rainfalL ____ ----_- _______ ---_-- ____ - ___ ---- __ ------- _________________________________________ _ 30
References ________ -- ____________ - _____________________ - _______________________________________________________ _ 7 24.-5-year 3-hour rainfalL ____ ------- _______ ------_-----------.------. _________ ---_---- _______ .-· __________ . ___ _ 31
List of tables 25.-10-year 3-hour rainfalL ___ ---- _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 32
1. Sources of point rainfall data _________ ---- ___ ----------- ___ ------------------------------------------------- 1 26.-25-year 3-hour rainfalL ___ ------- __ -----------_------~--------------- ______ -_-_-- ________ ---- ______________ . ;j;j
2. Empirical factors for converting partial-duration series to annual series.. ---------------------------------------- 3 27.-50-year 3-hour rainfalL ___ ---- _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 34
3. Average relationship between 30-minute rainfall and shorter duration rainfall for the same return period ____________ _ 5 28.-100-year 3-hour rainfalL __ ------- ____ --------- __ ------------------ __ - ____ -_-_-_-- ______ -_- __________ --- ____ _ 35
List of illustrations 29.-1-year 6-hour rainfall _____ ---- _____________ - _________ -_-- ____ ---_- _________________________________________ _ 36
Figure I.-Relation between 2-year 60-minute rainfall and 2-year clock-hour rainfall; relation between 2-year 1440- 30.-2-year 6-hour rainfall ____ -----_- _______ -_-_-- __ -_---_---- _____ ---- ______________ . ____________________ . ____ ._ 37
minute rainfall and 2-year observational-day rainfalL ••. - ___ --------------------- __ ----------------- 1 31.-5-year 6-hour rainfalL ____ ---- _____________________ -_-_- ___ .. ---_- ______________________________ . __________ _ 38
Figure 2.-Rainfall depth-duration diagram. __ --------- ____ --------------------------------------------------- 2 32.-10-year 6-hour rainfalL ___ -- .. ---_._ .. ------------------------------- ______ ---_-- __________ ---_. __ . ________ _ :\9
Figure 3.-Relation between observed 2-year 2-hour rainfall and 2-year 2-hour rainfall computed from duration diagram. 2 :l3.-25-year 6-hour rainfalL ___ ----- ____________ - _______ -_-_- _________ - ____ . ___ . ____ . __ . ________________________ _ 40
Figure 4.-Relation between observed 2-year 6-hour rainfall and 2-year 6-hour rainfall computed from duration diagrO.m. 2 34.-50-year 6-hour rainfalL ___ ----_-. ________ -_-- ____ ------------------ ______ . _________________________________ _ 41
Figure 5.-Relation between 2-year 30-minute rainfall and 2-year 60-minute rainfalL.------------------------------ 2 35.-100-year 6-hour rainfalL __ ---- _____________ - _____ - _____ -- ____ ---_- _________________________________________ _ 42
Figure 6.-Relation between partial-duration and annual series. __ ---- __ ---------------------------------------'- 2 36.-1-year 12-hour rainfalL ___ ----- __________ -_-. ______ -_---- ______ - ___________________________________________ _ 43
Figure 7.-Rainfall depth versus return period___ --------_-.- ____ ---- __ --------------------- _____ -_-----------_- 3 37.-2-year 12-hour rainfalL ___ ---- __________ .---- ______ -_---- ____ ---_- ______ . ______ . ___________________________ _ 44
Figure B.-Distribution of 1-hour stations •. ------------ ____ --------------------------------------------------- 3 38.-5-year 12-hour rainfalL ____ --- __________________________ ----- ______________________________________________ _ 45
Figure 9.-Distribution of 24-hour stations ___ ---------- ______ -------------------------------_----------------- 4 39.-10-year 12-hour rainfalL .. ---- __ . __________ -- __ -_-------- _____ ---- _________________________________________ _ 46
Figure 10.-Grid density used to construct additional maps----------------------------------------------------- 5 40.-25-year 12-hour rainfall. __ ----_. ___________ --- ___ -_------ ________ - _________________________________________ _ 47
Figure 11.-Relation between means from 50-year and 10-year records (24-hour durationl---------------------------- 6 41.-50-year 12-hour rainfalL------_- _____ ---------_-------------------- ________________________________________ _ 48
Figure 12.-Example of internal consistency check_------ _________ --- ___ --- ___ ----_----------- _______ ---- __ ---_- 6 42.-100-year 12-hour rainfalL_---- ___________ -----_-_-----.---_------ __________________________________________ _ 49
Figure 13.-Example of extrapolating to long return periods.. ---------------------------------------------------- 6 43.-1-year 24-hour rainfalL ___ ----- ____________ -- ______ -_-------_----- ______________________________·___________ _ 50
Figure 14.-Relationship between design return period, T years, design period; T •• and probability of not being exceeded 44.-2-year 24-hour rainfalL ____ --- ______________ - ________ ---- ______ - ___________________________________________ _ 51
in T • years. _______ -----------------------------------------.--------------------------------- 6 45.-5-year 24-hour rainfalL ___ ---- _____________ -- ______ -------- __ ----- _________________________________________ _ 52
Figure 15.-Area-depth curves ___________ -- ____ -------- _____ ------------------------------- __ ----------------- 6 46.-10-year 24-hour rainfalL ____ -- _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 53
PART II: CHARTS 47.-25-year 24-hour rainfalL ___ --- _____________________ ----.- ______ -.-- _________________ . ______________________ _ 54
l.-1-year 30-minute rainfalL_--- __ -_--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8 48.-50-year 24-hour rainfalL-------- ___________ -- ____ ----------------- ___________ . ________________________ . ____ _ 55
2.-2-year 30-minute rainfalL ___ -- ___ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9 49.-100-year 24-hour rainfalL------ ____________ ----- ___ -_---- ____ ------ ________________________________________ _ 56
3.-5-year 30-minute rainfalL ____ - _____ -------------------_----------------------------------------------------- 10 50.-Probable maximum 6-hour precipitation for 10 square miles _____________________________________________________ _
11 57
4.-10-year 30-minute rainfalL _______ ---------- ___ ------- ______ -------------_------------'---------------------- 51.-Ratio of probable maximum 6-hour precipitation for 10 square 'miles to 100-year 6-hour rainfalL_----------------- __ _
12 58
5.-25-year 30-minute rainfalL_--- ___ ---------------------_----------------------------------------------------- 52.-Seasonal probability of intense rainfall, 1-hour duration. _______________________________________________________ _
13 59
6.-50-year 30-minute rainfalL ___ - _____ -_-,--------------- ___ --------------------------------------------------- 53.-Seasonal probability of intense rainfall, 6-hour duration ___ --- _______ --- ________________________________________ _
7.-1 00-year 30-minute rainfalL-- - _----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14 60
15 54.-Seasonal probability of intense rainfall, 24-hour duration.--_- ___ ------- ________________________________________ _ 61
8.-1-year 1-hour rainfalL _____ -_- ___ --- ___ ---------------_-----------------------------------------------------
ii
 RAINFALL FREQUENCY ATLAS OF THE UNITED STATES
for Durations from 30 Minutes to 24 Hours and Return Periods
from I to 100 Years
DAVID M. HERSHFIELD
Cooperative Studies Section, U.S. Weather Bureau, Washington, D.C.

INTRODUCTION
Historical review
Unttl about 1g53, economic and engineering design requiring rain-
fall frequency data was based largely on Yarnell's paper [1] which
contains a series of generalized maps for several combinations of
duratwns and return periods. Yarnell's maps are based on data
from about 200 first-order Weather Bureau stations which main-
tained complete recording-gage records. In 1g40, about 5 years
after Yarnell's paper was published, a hydrologic network of record-
ing gages was installed to supplement both the Weather Bureau
recording gages and the relatively larger number of nonrecording
gages. The additional recording gages have subsequently increased
the amount of short-duration data by a factor of 20.
WPather Bureau Technical Paper No. 24, Parts I and II [2], pre-
pared for the Corps of Engineers in connection with their military
construction program, contained the first studies covering an ex-
tendPd area which exploited the hydrologic network data. The
results of this work showed the importance of the additional data in
defining the short-duration rainfall frequency regime in the moun-
tainous regions of the West. In many instances, the differences
between Technical Paper No. 24 and Yarnell reach a factor of three,
with t.he former generally being larger. Relationships developed and
knowledge gained from these studies in the United States were then
used to prepare similar reports for the coastal regions of North
Arrica [3] and several Arctic regions [4] where recording-gage data
were lacking.
Cooperation between the Weather Bureau and the Soil Conserva-
tion Service began in 1g55 for the purpose of defining the depth-
urea-duration-frequency regime in the United States. Technical
Paper No. 25 [5], which was partly a by-product of previous work
performed for the Corps of Engineers, was the first paper published
under the sponsorship of the Soil Conservation Service. This paper
contains a series of rainfall intensity-duration-frequency curves for
this study, four key maps provided the basic data for these two
relationships which were programmed to permit digital computer
computations for a 3500-point grid on each of 45 additional maps.
PART I: ANALYSES
Basic data
Types of data.-The data used in this study are divided into three
categories. First, there are the recording-gage data from the long-
record first-order Weather Bureau stations. There are 200 such
stations with records long enough to provide adequate results within
the range of return periods of this paper. These data are for the
n-minute period containing the maximum rainfall. Second, there
are the recording-gage data of the hydrologic network which are
published for clock-hour intervals. These data were processed for
the 24 consecutive clock-hour intervals containing the maximum
rainfall-not calendar-day. Finally, there is the very large amount
of nonrecording-gage data with observations made once daily. Use
was made of these data to help define both the 24-hour rainfall
regime and also the shorter duration regimes through applications of
empirical relationships.
Station data.-The sources of data are indicated in table 1. The
data from the 200 long-record Weather Bureau stations were used to
develop most of the relationships which will be described later. Long
records from more than 1600 stations were analyzed to define the
relationships for the rarer frequencies (return periods), and statistics
from short portions of the record from about 5000 stations were used
as an aid in defining the regional pattern for the 2-year return period.
Several thousand additional stations were considered but not plotted
where the station density was adjudged to be adequate.
Period and length of record.-The nonrecording short-record data
were compiled for the period 1g38-1g57 and long-record data from
the earliest year available through 1g57, The recording-gage data
cover the period 1g40-1g58. Data from the long-record Weather
Clock-hour vs. 60-minute and observational-day vs. 1440-minute
rainfall.-In order to exploit the clock-hour and observational-day
data, it was necessary to determine their relationship to the 60-
minute and 1440-minute periods containing the maximum rainfall.
It was found that 1.13 times a rainfall value for a particular return
period based on a series of annual maximum clock-hour rainfalls
was equivalent to the amount for the same return period obtained
from a series of 60-minute rainfalls. By coincidence, it was found
that the same factor can be used to transform observational-day
amounts to corresponding 1440-minute return-period amounts. The
equation, n-year 1440-minute rainfall (or 60-minute) equals 1.13
times n-year observational-day (or clock-hour) rainfall, is not built
on a causal relationship. This is an average index relationship
because the distributions of 60-minute and 1440-minute rainfall are
very irregular or unpredictable during their respective time inter-
vals. In addition, the annual maxima from the two series for the
same year from corresponding durations do not necessarily come
from the same storm. Graphical comparisons of these data are pre-
sented in figure 1, which shows very good agreement.
24 consecutive clock-hour rainfall vs. 1440-minute rai1ifall.-The
recording-gage data were collected from published sources for the
24 consecutive clock-hours containing the maximum rainfall. Be-
30
u;
UJ
:J:
0
~
J :l
:. 2 0
z ~
~ 0:
0:
cause of the arbitrary beginning and ending on the hour, a series
of these data provides statistics which are slightly smaller in mag-
nitude than those from the 1440-minute series The average bias
was found to be approximately one percent. All such data in this
paper have been adjusted by this factor.
Station ezposure.-In refined analysis of mean annual and mean
seasonal rainfall data it is necessary to evaluate station exposures
by methods such as double-mass curve analysis [14]. Such methods
do not appear to apply to extreme values. Except for some sub-
jective selections (particularly for long records) of stations that have
had consistent exposures, no attempt has been made to adjust rain-
fall values to a standard exposure. The effects of varying exposure
are implicitly included in the areal sampling error and are probably
averaged out in the process of smoothing the isopluviallines.
Rain or snow.-The term rainfall has been used in reference to
all durations even though some snow as well as rain is included in
some of the smaller 24-hour amounts for the high-elevation stations.
Comparison of arrays of all ranking snow events with those known
to have only rain has shown trivial differences in the frequency
relations for several high-elevation stations tested. The heavier
(rarer frequency) 24-hour events and all short-duration events con-
sist entirely of rain.
~5
z

200 first-order Weather Bureau stations. This was followed by Bureau stations were processed through 1g58. No record of less ,_
UJ "'
!;4
;;;;
Technical Paper No. 28 [6], which is an expansion of Technical Paper than five years was used to estimate the 2-year values.
:::>
z
No. 24 to longer return periods and durations. Next to be published i "'
were the five parts of the Technical Paper No. 29 series [7], which cover ..'
0

0:
0
~3
;.
thP rPgion east of go• W. Included in this series are seasonal var.ia-
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tion on a frequency basis and area-depth curves so that the pomt

frequency values can be transformed to areal frequency. Except I.-Sources of potnl ratnfal! data
N
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';"2
N
./
./
TABLE
for the region between go• W. and 105° W., the contiguous United
States has been covered by generalized rainfall frequency studies No. of Average Reference
prepared by the Weather Bureau since 1g53, Duration stattons length of No.
record (yr.)
General approach 10 24 I
30-min. to 24-hr _________________ _ 200 48 8, 9, 10 2- YEAR CLOCK- HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES) 2-YEAR OBSERVATIONAL-DAY RAINFALL (INCHES)
The approach followed in the present study is basically that Hourly _______ ----- ___ ---- ______ _ 2081 14 11, 12
utilized in [6] and [7]. In these references, simplified duration and Dailv (recordmg) -- ____ -- ----- ___ _ 1350 16 11, 12
Dally (nonrecording) _____ ----- ___ _ 3409 15 13 FIGURE !.-Relation between 2-year 60-minute rainfall and 2-year clock-hour rainfall; relat10n between 2-year 1440-minute rainfall and 2-year observational-day
return-period relationships and several key maps were used to deter- Daily (nonrecording) ___ ---- -- __ -- 1426 47 13
rainfall.
mine additional combinations of return periods and durations. In
1
 1.8
12 12 3.0
-
II "'"" II
u
I- - iii
10 l;l2.5
10
u
I- - :.;

9
-
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:.:
u
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I-
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8 UJ
:r ...
::;: ....
..
() ()
z z <
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=
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6
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.I ..
<1.0
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--'
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3
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FIGURE a.-Relation between observed 2-year 2-hour rainfall and 2-year 2-hour
I 2 3 6 12 24
rainfall computed from duration diagram. 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.. 1.8 2.2
DURATION (HOURS)
2-TIAR 110-NINUT& RAINFALL (INCHES)

FIGURE 2.-Rainfall depth-duration diagram. FIGURE 6.-Relation between 2-year 30-minute rainfall and 2-year 60-minute rainfall.

Duration analysis
7.0
I I I I I I
v I

-
/
iii f-
Duration interpolation diagram.-A generalized duration relation- w
:J:
ship was developed with which the rainfall depth for e. selected ~3
return period can be computed for any duration between 1 and 24
hours, when the 1- and 24-hour values for that particular return
period are given (see fig. 2). This generalization was obtained
empiiice.lly from date. for the 200 Wee.ther Bureau first-order sta-
.J
.J
~
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«
a:
...
iii
6.0

f-
y v
SLOP£•1.11
-

.v
tions. To use this diagram, a. straightedge is laid across the values a: :J:
:0
given for 1 and 24 hours and the values for other durations are read !Ez ~ 5.0
at the proper intersections. The quality of this relationship for the '
2- and 6-hour durations is illustrated in figures 3 and 4 for stations "'
0:
.J
.J
-
<( ~ f.-
with a. wide range in rainfall magnitude. w z
Relationship between SO-minute and 60-minute rainjaU.-If e. 30-
>-
N '
<i
0: /I
7
minute ordinate is positioned to the left of the 60-minute ordinate 0 ::l 4.0
w 0:
on the duration interpolation diagram of figure 2, acceptable esti- > w
(51 en
mates can be made of the 30-minute rainfall. This relationship en z f.- -
was used in several previous studies. However, tests showed that
better results can be obtained by simply multiplying the 60-minute
m
0

a:
0
~ j_Y.
.
B 3.o
rainfall by the average 30- to 60-minute ratio. The empirical re-
lationship used for estimating the 30-minute rainfall is 0.79 times
the 60-minute rainfall. The quality of this relationship is illustrated
;:
a:
~
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<(

-
,i/•
/" -
in figure 5. ...Oz.o
74
I 2 3 4
COMPUTED 2-YEAR 6-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)
z<(
Frequency anBlysis w ..<
Two types of series.-This discussion requires consideration of two
FIGURE 4.-Relation between observed 2-year 6-hour rainfall and 2-year 6-hour
rainfall computed from duration diagram.
::!;
-
.;?·
I -
methods of selecting and analyzing intense rainfall date.. One ·oil' DIIRATION
method, using the partial-duration series, includes all the high values. -

v
LO
The other uses the annual series which consists only of the highest / CLOCK-HOIIR
01/ARTER-DAY
value for each year. The highest value of record, of course, is the frequencies. In order to avoid laborious processing of partial- . CALENDAR-DAY
-
top value of each series, but at lower frequency levels (shorter return duration date., the annual series were collected, analyzed, and the
periods) the two series diverge. The partial-duration series, having
the highest values regardless of the year in which they occur, recog-
resulting statistics transformed to partial-duration statistics.
Conversionjactorsjor two series.-Te.ble 2, based on e. sample of a. 0
0 w
I
2.0
I
~
I
~
I I
~
I
6.0
I I
7.0
nizes that the second highest of some year occasionally exceeds the number of widely scattered W ee.ther Bureau first-order stations, MEAN OF ANNUAL SERIES RAINFALL (INCHES)
highest of some other year. The purposes to be served by the atlas gives the empirical factors for converting the partial-duration series
require that the resnlts be expressed in terms of partial-duration to the annual series. FIGURE 6.-Relation between partial-duration and annual series.
2
 15 15
-
14
1--
1- - 14
r-----
1-- - msTRIBUTioN OF
1-- -
13 13 'tl
1- -
1-- -
12 12
1-- -
1- -
II II
1-- -
10
1- - 10
1- -
iii - iii
w 1-- w
59 1- -
9 J:
0
~ ~
- -
J: 8 8 J:
1-
Q.
- - 1-
Q.
w
w
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..J 7 7
..J - - ..J
..J
co: co:
LL f- - LL

~ 6 z
a:
6
- - <t
a:

5
- -
5
- -
- - 4
4
- -
- -
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I
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--- -~--- --------1
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I 2

FIGURE
5 10 25 50
RETURN PERIOD IN YEARS, PARTIAL-DURATION SERIES

7.-Rainfall depth versus return period.

100
\ I
\

EXAMPLE. If the 2-, 6-, and 10-year partial-duration series values

estimated from the maps at a particular point are 3.00, 3. 75, and 4.21
inches, respectively, what are the annual series values for corresponding
return periods? Multiplying by the appropriate conversion factors of
table 2 gives 2.64, 3.60, and 4.17 inches.
The quality of the relationship between the mean of the partial-
duration series and the mean of the annual series data for the 1-, 6-,
and 24-hour durations is illustrated in figure 6. The means for both
series are equivalent to the 2.3-year return period. Tests with
samples of record length from 10 to 50 years indicate that the factors
of table 2 are independent of record length.
TABLE 2.-Empirical factors for converting partial-duration
series to annual aeries
Return period Conversion factor
2-year ____ --- _______ ------------ -- 0. 88
5-year _.. _________________________ _ 0. 96
10-year_- ___ --- _------------------ 0. 99
Frequency consideratioM.-Extreme values of rainfall depth form
a frequency distribution which may be defined in terms of its mo-
ments. Investigations of hundreds of rainfall distributions with
lengths of record ordinarily encountered in practice (less than 50
years) indicate that these records are too short to provide reliable
statistics beyond the first and second moments. The distribution
must therefore be regarded as a function of the first two moments.
The 2-year value is a measure of the first moment-the central
tendency of the distribution. The relationship of the 2-year to the
100-year value is a measure of the second moment-the dispersion
of the distribution. These two parameters, 2-year and 100-year
rainfall, are used in conjunction with the return-period diagram of
figure 7 for estimating values for other return periods.
OoMtruction of return-period diagram.-The return-period diagram
of figure 7 is based on data from the long-record Weather
Bureau stations. The spacing of the vertical lines on the diagram
is partly empirical and partly theoretical. From 1 to 10 years it is
entirely empirical, based on freehand curves drawn through plottings
of partial-duration series data. For the 20-year and longer return
periods reliance was placed on the Gumbel procedure for fitting
annual series data to the Fisher-Tippett type I distribution [15].
The transition was smoothed subjectively between 10- and 20-year
return periods. If rainfall values for return periods between 2 and
100 years are taken from the return-period diagram of figure 7, con-
verted to annual series values by applying the factors of table 2, and
plotted on either Gumbel or log-normal paper, the points will very
nearly approximate a straight line.
FIGURE B.-Distribution of 1-hour stations.
Use of diagram.-The two intercepts needed for the frequency
relation in the diagram of figure 7 are the 2-year values obtained
from the 2-year maps and the 100-year values from the 100-year
maps. Thus, given the rainfall values for both 2- and 100-year
return periods, values for other return periods are functionally
related and may be determined from the frequency diagram which is
entered with the 2- and 100-year values.
General applicability of return-period relationship.-Tests have
shown that within the range of the data and the purpose of this
paper, the return-period relationship is also independent of duration.
In other words, for 30 minutes, or 24 hours, or any other duration
within the scope of this report, the 2-year and 100-year values
define the values for other return periods in a consistent manner.
Studies have disclosed no regional pattern that would improve the
return-period diagram which appears to have application over the
entire United States.
Secular trend.-The use of short-record data introduces the ques-
tion of possible secular trend and biased sample. Routine tests with
subsamples of equal size from different periods of record for the same
,....,._...-----_--~
station showed no appreciable trend, indicating that the direct use
of the relatively recent short-record data is legitimate.
Storms combined into one distribution.-The question of whether a
distribution of extreme rainfall is a function of storm type (tropical
or nontropical storm) has been investigated and the results presented
in a recent paper [16]. It was found that no well-defined dichotomy
exists between the hydrologic characteristics of hurricane or tropical
storm rainfall and those of rainfall from other types of storms. The
conventional procedure of analyzing the annual maxima without
regard to storm type is to be preferred because it avoids non-
systematic sampling. It also eliminates having to attach a storm-
type label to the rainfall, which in some cases of intermediate storm
type (as when a tropical storm becomes extratropical) is arbitrary.
Predictive value of theoretical distribution.-Estimation of return
periods requires an assumption concerning the parametric form of
the distribution function. Since less than 10 percent of the more
than 6000 stations used in this study have records for 60 years .or
longer, this raises the question of the predictive value of the results-
particularly, for the longer return periods. As indicated previously,
3

reliance was placed on the Gumbel procedure for fitting data to the
Fisher-Tippett type I distribution to determine the longer return
periods. A recent study [17) of 60-minute data which was designed
to appraise the predictive value of the Gumbel procedure provided
definite evidence for its acceptability.
lsopluvial maps
Methodology.-The factors considered in the construction of the
isopluvial maps were availability of data, reliability of the return
period estimates, and the range of duration and return periods re-
quired for this paper. Because of the large amount of data for the
1- and 24-hour durations and the relatively small standard error
associated with the estimates of the 2-year values, the 2-year 1- and
24-hour maps were constructed first. Except for the 30-minute
duration, the 1- and 24-hour durations envelop the durations required
for this study. The 100-year 1- and 24-hour maps were then pre-
pared because this is the upper limit of return period. The four key
maps: 2-year 1-hour, 2-year 24-hour, 100-year 1-hour, and 100-year
4
FIGURE D.-Distribution of 24-hour stations.
24-hour, provided the data to be used jointly with the duration and
frequency relationships of the previous sections for obtaining values
for the other 45 maps. This procedure permits variation in two
directions-one for duration and the other for return period. The
49 isopluvial maps are presented in Part II as Charts 1 to 49.
Data for 2-year 1-hour map.-The dot map of figure 8 shows the
location of the stations for which data were actually plotted on the
map. Additional stations were considered in the analysis but not
plotted in regions where the physiography could have no conceivable
influence on systematic changes in the rainfall regime. All available
recording-gage data with at least 5 years of record were plotted for
the mountainous region west of 104° W. In all, a total of 2281
stations were used to define the 2-year 1-hour pattern of which 60
percent are for the western third of the country.
Data for 2-year 24--hour map.-Figure 9 shows the locations of the
6000 stations which provided the 24-bour data used to define the
2-year 24-bour isopluvial pattern. Use was made of most of the
stations in mountainous regions including those with only 5 years of
record. As indicated previously, the data have been adjusted where
necessary so that they are for the 1440-minute period containing
the maximum rainfall rather than observational-dH.Y.
Smoothing of 2-year 1-hour and 2-year 24--hour i8opluvial lines.-
The manner of construction involves the question of bow much to
smooth the data, and an understanding of the problem of data
smoothing is necessary to the most effective use of the maps. The
problem of drawing isopluviallines through a field of data is analo-
gous in some important respects to drawing regression lines through
the data of a scatter diagram. Just as isolines can be drawn so as to
fit every point on the map, an irregular regression line can be drawn
to pass through every point; but the complicated pattern in each
case would be unrealistic in most instances. The two qualities,
smoothness and fit, are basically inconsistent in the sense that
smoothness may not be improved beyond a certain point without
some sacrifice of closeness of fit, and vice versa. The 2-year 1- and
24-bour maps were deliberately drawn so that the standard error of
estimate (the inherent error of interpolation) was commensurate
with the sampling and other errors in the data and methods of
analysis.
Ratio of 100-year to 2-year 1- and 24--hour rainjall.-Two working
maps were prepared showing the 100-year to 2-year ratio for the l-
and 24-hour durations. In order to minimize the exaggerated effect
-that an outlier (anomalous event) from a short record has on the
magnitude of thll 100-year value, only the data from stations with
minimum record lengths of 18 years for the 1-hour and 40 years for
the 24-hour were used in this analysis. As a result of the large sam-
pling errors associated with these ratios, it is not unusual to find a
station with a ratio of 2.0 located near a 3.0 ratio even in regions
where orographic influences on the rainfall regime are absent. As
a group, the stations' ratios mask out the station-to-station dis-
parities and provide a more reliable indication of the direction of
distribution than the individual station data. A macro-examination
revealed that some systematic geographical variation was present
which would justify the construction of smoothed ratio maps with
a small range. The isopleth patterns constructed for the two maps
are not identical but the ratios on both maps range from about 2.0
to 3.0. The average ratio is about 2.3 for the 24-hour duration and
2.2 for the 1-hour.
100-year 1-hour and 24--hour maps.-The HiO-y~ar values which
were computed for 3500 selected points (fig. 10) are the product of
the values from the 2-year maps and the 100-year to 2-year ratio
maps. Good definition of the complexity of pattern and steepness of
gradient of the 2-year 1- and 24-hour maps determined the geo-
graphically unbalanced grid density of figure 10.
1,6 additional maps.-Tbe 3500-point grid of figure 10 was also used
to define the isopluvial patterns of the 45 additional maps. Four
values-one from each of the four key maps-were read for each
grid point. Programming of the duration and return-period rela-
tionships plus the four values for each point permitted digital com-
puter computation for the 45 additional points. The isolines were
positioned by interpolation with reference to numbers at the grid
points. This was necessary to maintain the internal consistency of
the series of maps. Pronounced "highs" and "lows" are positioned
in consistent locations on all maps. Where the 1- to 24-hour ratio
for a particular area is small, the 24-hour values have the greatest
influence on the pattern of the intermediate duration maps. Where
the 1- to 24-hour ratio is large, the 1-hour value appears to have the
most influence on the intermediate duration pattern.
Reliability of results.-The term reliability is used here in the
statistical sense to refer to the degree of confidence that can be placed
in the accuracy of the results. The reliability of results is influenced
by sampling error in time, sampling error in space, and by the
manner in which the maps were constructed. Sampling error in
space is a result of the two factors: (1) the chance occurrence of an
anomalous storm which has a disproportionate effect on one station's
statistics but not on the statistics of a nearby station, and {2) the
geographical distribution of stations. Where stations are farther
apart than in the dense networks studied for this project, stations
may experience rainfalls that are nonrepresentative of their vicinity,
or may completely miss rainfalls that are representative. Similarly,
sampling error in time results from rainfalls not occurring according
to their average regime during a brief record. A brief period of
record may include some nonrepresentative large storms, or may
miss some important storms that occurred before or after the period
of record at a given station. In evaluating the effects of areal and
time sampling errors, it is pertinent to look for and to evaluate bias
and dispersion. This is discussed in the following paragraphs.
Spatial sampling error.-ln developing the area-depth relations,
it was necessary to examine data from several dense networks. Some
of these dense networks were in regions where the physiography could
have little or no effect on the rainfall regime. Examination of these
data showed, for example, that the standard deviation of point
rainfall for the 2-year return period for a flat area of 300 square miles
is about 20 percent of the mean value. Seventy 24-hour stations
in Iowa, each with more than 40 years of record, provided another
indication of the effect of spatial sampling error. Iowa's rainfall
regime is not influenced locally by orography or bodies of water.
The 2-year 24-hour isopluvials in Iowa show a range from 3.0 to 3.3
inches. The average deviation of the 70 2-year values from the
smoothed isopluvials is about 0.2 inch. Since there are no assignable
causes for these dispersions, they must be regarded as a residual
error in sampling the relatively small amount of extreme-value data
available for each station.
The geographical distribution of the stations used in the analysis
is portrayed on the dot maps of figures 8 and 9. Even this relatively
dense network cannot reveal very accurately the fine structure of
the isopluvial pattern in the mountainous regions of the West. A
measure of the sampling error is provided by a comparison of a 2-
year 1-hour generalized map for Los Angeles County (4000 square
miles) based on 30 stations with one based on 110 stations. The
average difference for values from randomly selected points from both
maps was found to be approximately 20 percent.
Sampling error in time.-Sampling error in time is present because
the data at individual stations are intended to represent a mean
condition that would hold over a long period of time. Daily data
from 200 geographically dispersed long-record stations were analyzed
for 10- and 50-year records to determine the reliability or level of
confidence that should be placed on the results from the short-record
data. The diagram of figure 11 shows the scatter of the means of
the extreme-value distributions for the two different lengths of record.
The slight bias which is exhibited is a result of the skewness of the
extreme-value distribution. Accordingly, more weight was given to \
the longer-record stations in the construction of the isopluvials.
Isoline interval.-The isoline intervals are 0.2, 0.5, or 1.0 inch
depending on the range and magnitude of the rainfall values. A
uniform interval has been used on a particular map except in the
two following instances: (1) a dashed intermediate line has been
placed between two widely separated lines as an aid to interpolation,
and (2) a larger interval was used where necessitated by a steep
gradient. "Lows" that close within the boundaries of the United
States have been hatched inwardly.
Maintenance of consistency.-Numerous statistical maps were
made in the course of these investigations in order to maintain the
__ , -----
__
internal consistency. In situations where it has been necessary to \
estimate hourly data from daily observations, experience has demon-
strated that the ratio of 1-hour to corresponding 24-hour values for \
the same return period does not vary greatly over a small region.
This knowledge served as a useful guide in smoothing the isopluvials. \

On the windward sides of high mountains in western United States,
the 1- to 24-hour ratio is as low as 10 percent. In southern Arizona
and some parts of midwestern United States, it is greater than 60
percent. In general, except for Arizona, the ratio is less than 40
percent west of the Continental Divide and greater than 40 percent
to the east. There is a fair relationship between this ratio and the
climatic factor, mean annual number of thunderstorm days. The
two parameters, 2-year daily rainfall and the mean annual number
of thunderstorm days, have been used jointly to provide an estimate
of short-duration rainfalls [18]. A 1- to 24-hour ratio of 40 percent
is approximately the average for the United States.
Ezamination of physiographic parameters.-Work with mean
annual and mean seasonal rainfall has resulted in the derivation of
empirically defined parameters relating rainfall data to the physiog-
raphy of a region. Elevation, slope, orientation, distance from
moisture source, and other parameters have been useful in drawing
maps of mean rainfall. These and other parameters were examined
in an effort to refine the maps present.ed here. However, tests
showed that the use of these parameters would result in no improve-
ment in the rainfall-frequency pattern because of the sampling and
other error inherent in values obtained for each station.
Evaluation.-In general, the standard error of estimate ranges
from a minimum of about 10 percent, where a point value can be
used directly as taken from a flat region of one of the 2-year maps to
50 percent where a 100-year value of short-duration rainfall must be
estimated for an appreciable area in a more rugged region.
Internal inconsistency.-{)n some maps the isoline interval does
not reveal the fact that the magnitude does not vary linearly by
interpolation. Therefore, interpolation of several combinations of
durations and return periods for the point of interest might result
in such inconsistencies as a 12-hour value being larger than a 24-
hour value for the same return period or that a 50-year value ex-
ceeds the 100-year value for the same duration. These errors,
however, are well within the acknowledged margin of error. If
the reader is interested in more than one duration or return period
this potential source of inconsistency can be eliminated by con-
structing a series of depth-duration-frequency curves by fitting
smoothed curves on logarithmic paper to the values interpolated
from all49 maps. Figure 12 illustrates a set of curves for the point
at 35° N., 90° W. The interpolated values for a particular duration
should very nearly approximate a straight line on the return-period
diagram of figure 7.
Obsolescence.-Additional stations rather than longer records will
speed obsolescence and lessen the current accuracy of the maps.
The comparison with Yarnell's paper [1] is a case in point. Where
data for new stations are available, particularly in the mountainous
regions, the isopluvial patterns of the two papers show pronounced
differences. At stations which were used for both papers, even with
25 years of additional data, the differences are negligible.
G 11 £ r
---
FxouaE 10.-Grid density UBed to construct additional maps.
Guides for estimating durations and/or return periods not
presented on the maps
Intermediate durat'ons and return perwds.-ln some instances, it
might be required to obtain values within the range of return periods
and durations presented in this paper but for which no maps have
been prepared. A diagram similar to that illustrated in figure 12
can serve as a nomogram for estimating these required values.
Return periods longer than 100 years.-Values for return periods
longer than 100 years can be obtained by plotting several values
from 2 to 100 years from the same point on all the maps on either
log-normal or extreme-value probability paper. A straight line
fitted to the data and extrapolated will provide an acceptable esti-
mate of, say, the 200-year value. It should be remembered that
the values on the maps are for the partial-duration series, therefore,
the 2-, 5-, and 10-year values should first be reduced by the factors
of table 2.
EXAMPLE. The 200-year 1-hour value iB reqwred for the point
~-~iJ
at 35° N ., 90° W. The 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, and 100-year values are
estimated from the maps to be 1.7, 2.2, 2.5, 2.9, 3.1, and 3.5 inches.
After multiplying the 2-year value by 0.88, the 5-year value by 0.96,
and the 10-year value by 0.99, the six values are plotted on extreme-
value probability paper, a line iB fitted to the data and extrapolated
linearly. The 200-year value iB thuo estimated to be about 3.8 inches
(see fig. 13).
Durations shorter than SO minutes.-If durations shorter than 30
minutes are required, the average relationships between 30-minute
rainfall on the one hand and the 5-, 10-, and 15-minute rainfall on
the other can be obtained from table 3. These relationships were
developed from the data of the 200 Westher Bureau first-order
stations.
TABLE 3.-Aoerage relat•omhif between SO-m•nute rainfaU and ahorler durol•on
ra•nfa for lhe same return penod
Duration (min.) __ ----------------------_ 10 15
Ratio _________________________________
0. 57 0. 72
Average error (percent)------------------ 7 5

6
 1000
BOO
600
000
•I-HOUR RAINFALL VALUES FROM
400
ISOPLUVIAL MAPS AT ~6° N
AND 90° W. 500
NOT£: VALUES HAVE BEEN CONVERTED
FROM PARTIAL -DURATION SERIES
200
TO ANNUAL SERIES (TABLE 2 )

." 100

1.01 2 10 2s !50 100 200 sao

~
RETURN PERIOD (YEARS)
0 50
0

EXTREME- VALUE PROBABILITY PAPER

!. ••
z

~
0
10

..
'/'
........
..
.' . . .
. - THEORETICAL PROBABILITY (SJ
OF NOT BEING EXCEEDED IN Td YEAR$

... : . . . ~
DESIGN PERIOD, Td YEARS

~
.....
•.
:.. .
':,
/' e POINTS FROM I-HOUR
ISOPLUVIAL MAPS AT
FIGURE 14.-Relationship between design return period, T years, deilign period,
T ., and probability of not being exceeded in T • years.
.. . S~"N AND 90°W

··~ ..:·.·
NOT£: VALUES HAVE BEEN

/
CONVERTED FROM PARTIAL -
. DURATION SERIES TO ANNUAL

. o 200 STATION MEAN

SERIES (TABLE 2 J

.. ~,
' ..
~
a:
10 0

RETURN PERIOD (YEARS)

z
ILl
2 90 -
I
r----. .L""R
~~-~
13.-Example of extrapolating to long return periods.
FIGURE
"'a: 6-HOVR
~
~-----
3 4 56 7 8 g 12
MEAN OF ANNUAL MAXIMUM 2A-HOUR RAINFALL, INCHES (IQ. YEAR RECORD}
:I •0 I I
.S-HOVR

I~
~
FtGUBE 11.-Relation between means from 60-year and 10-year records (24-hour duration). z

and rarely exceed 10 percent. However, in the mountainous regions

of the West, the enlarged inventory of data now available has had
is attributable to the smoothing of these maps in a consistent manner
for this paper.
Probability considerations
<
a:
...z
0
ll.
IL
0
...z
60
0

~+.
['-....

,
---- 1-HOVR

1~--~~--L---------L---~~~~~~--~--~~~--~~~
30 40 50 60
MINUTES HOURS
DURATION
FIGURE 12.-Example of internal consistency check.
Comparisons with previous rainfall frequency studies
YameU.--A comparison of the results of this paper with those
obtained by Yarnell's paper [1] brings out several interesting points.
First, both papers show approximately the same values for the
Weather Bureau first-order stations even though 25 years of addi-
tional data are now available. Second, even though thousands
of additional stations were used in this study, the differences between
the two papers in the eastern haU of the country are quite smo.ll
6
a profound effect on l·he isopluvial pattern. In general, the results
from this paper are larger in the West with the differences occasion-
ally reaching a factor of three.
Technical Paper No. 25.-Technical Paper No. 25 [5] contains a
series of rainfall intensity-duration-frequency curves for the 200
Weather Bureau stations. The curves were developed from each
station's data with no consideration given to anomalous events or
to areal generalization. The average difference between the two
papers is approximately 10 percent with no bias. After accounting
for the fact that this atlas is for the partial-duration series and
Technical Paper No. 25 is for the annual series, the differences can
be ascribed to the considerable areal generalization used in this paper.
Technical Paper No. 24-, Parts I and II; Technical Paper No. 28.--
18 24
The differences in refinement between Technical Paper No. 24- [2]
and Technical Paper No. 28 (6] on the one hand and this paper on the
other do not, however, seem to influence the end results to an
important degree. Inspection of the values in several rugged areas,
as well as in flat areas, reveals disparities which averaf!:e about 20
percent. This is attributable to the much larger amount of data
(both longer records and more stations) and the greater areal gen-
eralization used in this paper.
Technical Paper No. 29, Parts 1 through 5.--The salient feature of
the comparison of Technical Paper No. 29 [7] with this paper is the
very small disparities between the four key maps and the slightly
larger disparities between the intermediate maps. The average
differences are of the order of magnitude of 10 ltnd 20 percent,
respectively. The larger difference between the intermediate maps
I
General.--The analysis presented thus far has been mainly con-
cemed with attaching a probability to a particular magnitude of rain- ILl
u
fall at a particular location. Once this probability has been deter- a:
ILl 5
ll. 100 150 200 200 >oo >!SO 400
mined, consideration must also be given to the corollary question:
AREA (SQUARE MILES)
What is the probability that the n-year event will occur at least once
in the next n years? FIGURE 16.-Area-depth curves.
From elementary probability theory it is known that there is a
good chance that the n-year event will occur at least once before
n years have elapsed. For example, if an event has the probability
1/n of occurring in a particular year (assume the annual ssries is
being used), where n is 10 or greater, the probability, P, of the e:vent
occurring at least once among n observations (or years) is Probable maximum precipitation (PMP)
The 6-hour PMP and its relationship to the 100-year 6-hour rain-
P=1-(l-1/n)"""' 1-e-1 =0.63 fall.--Opposed to the probability method of rainfall estimation
presented in this paper is the probable maximum precipitation
Thus, for example, the probability that the 10-year event will occur (PMP) method which uses a combination of physical model and
at least once in the next 10 years is 0.63, or about 2 chances out of 3.
several estimated meteorological parameters. The main purpose
Relationship between design return period, T years, design period, of the PMP method is to provide complete-safety design criteria in
T., and probability of not being exceeded in T. years.--Figure 14, cases where structure failure would be disastrous. The 6-hour
prepared from theoretical computations, shows the relationship
PMP map of Chart 50 is based on the 10-square-mile values of
between the design return period, T years, design period, T., and Hydrometeorological Report No. 33 [20] for the region east of 105° W.
probability of not being exceeded in T. years [19]. and on Weather Bureau Technical Paper No. 38 [21) for the West.
EXAMPLE. What design return period should the engineer use Chart 51 presents the ratios of the PMP vaiues to the 100-year
to be approximately 90 percent certain that it will not be exceeded point rainfalls of this paper. Examination of this map shows that
in the next 10years? Entering the design period coordinate at IOyears
until the 90 percent line is intersected, the design return period is the ratios vary from less than 2 to about 9. These results must be
estimated to be 100 years. In terms of rainfall magnitude, the 100- considered merely indicative of the order of magnitude of extremely
year value is approximately 60 percent larger than the 10-year value. rare rainfalls.
 Area-depth relationships
General.-For drainage areas larger than a few square miles con-
sideration must be given not only to point rainfall, but to the average
depth over the entire drainage area. The average area-depth
relationship, as a percent of the point values, has been determined
for 20 dense networks up to 400 square miles from various regions
in the United States [7].
The area-depth curves of figure 15 must be VIewed operationally
The operation is related to the purpose and application. In applica-
tion the process is to select a point value from an isopluvial map.
This point value is the average depth for the location concerned, for
a given frequency and duration It is a composite. The area-depth
curve relates this average point value, for a given duratiOn and fre-
quency and within a g1ven area, to the average depth over that area
for the corresponding duration and frequency.
The data used to develop the area-depth curves of figure 15 ex-
hibited no systematic regional pattern [7]. Duration turned out to
be the major parameter. None of the dense networks had sufficient
length of record to evaluate the effect of magnitude (or return perwd)
on the area-depth relationship. For areas up to 400 square miles,
it is tentatively accepted that storm magnitude (or return per1od)
is not a parameter in the area-depth relationship. The reliability
of this relationship appears to be best for the longer durations.
EXAMPLE What IS the average depth of 2-year 3-hour ramfall
for a 200-square-mile drainage area m the vicmity of 37° N , 86° W.?
From the 2-year 3-hour map, 2.0 inches 1s estimated as the average
depth for points in the area. However, the average 3-hour depth over
the drainage area would be less than 2 0 inches for the 2-year return
period Referring to figure 15, it is seen that the 3-hour curve mter-
sects the area scale at 200 square m1les at rat1o 0.8. Accordingly, the
2-year 3-hour average depth over 200 square nules is 0.8 times 2 0, or
1.6 inches.
Seasonal variation
Introductwn.-To this point, the frequency analysis has followed
the conventional procedures of using only the annual maxima or the
n-maximum events for n years of record Obviously, some months
contribute more events to these series than others and, in fact, some
months might not contribute at all to these two series. Seasonal
variation serves the purpose of showing how often these rainfall
events occur during a specific month. For example, a practical
problem concerned with seasonal variation may be illustrated by the
fact that the 100-year 1-hour rain may come from a summer thunder-
storm, with considerable infiltration, whereas the 100-year flood may
come from a lesser storm occurring on frozen or snow-covered ground
in the late winter or early spring.
Seascmal probability diagrams.-A total of 24 seasonal variatwn dia-
grams is presented in Charts 52, 53, and 54 for the 1-, 6-, and 24-hour
durations for 8 subregions of the United States east of 105° W.
The 15 diagrams covering the region east of 90° W. are identical to
those presented previously in Techmcal Paper No. 29 [7]. The
smoothed isopleths of a diagram for a particular duration are based
on the average relationslnp from approximately 15 statwns in each
subregion. Some variation exists from station to station, suggesting
a slight subregional pattern, but no attempt was made to define it
because there is no conclusive method of determining whether this
pattern is a climatic fact or an accident of sampling. The slight
regional discontinuities between curves of adjacent subregions can
be smoothed locally for all practical purposes. No seasonal variation
relationships are presented for the mountamous region west of 105°
W. because of the influence of local climatic and topographic condi-
tions. Th1s would call for seasonal distribution curves constructed
from each station's data instead of average and more reliable curves
based on groups of stations.
Appbcat~cm to areal ramfall.-The analysis of a limited amount of PART II
areal rainfall data in the same manner as the point data gave seasonal
variations which exh1bited no substantial difference from those of Charts 1--4 9: Isopluvial maps.
the point data. This lends some confidence in using these diagrams Charts 50-51: The 6-hour probable maximum precipitation and its
as a guide for small areas. relationship to the 100-year 6-hour rainfall.
EXAMPLE. Determme the probab11ity of occurrence of a 10-year Charts 52-54: Diagrams of seasonal probability of intense rainfall,
1-hour ramfall for the months May through August for the pomt at for 1-, 6-, and 24-hour durations.
45° N ., 85° W. From Chart 52, the probab1hties for each month are
interpolated to be 1, 2, 4, and 2 percent, respectively. In other words,
the probab1hty of occurrence of a 10-year 1-hour rainfall m May of
any partiCular year IS 1 percent; for June, 2 percent; and so forth.
(Add1t10nal examples are g1ven m all five parts of Techntcal Paper
No. S9.)
References
1. D. L. Yarnell, "Rainfall Intens1ty-Frequency Data," Miscellaneous Publi-
ca!ton No. S04, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., 1935,
68pp.
2. U.S. Weather Bureau, "Rainfall Intensities for Local Drainage Design m
the United States for DuratiOns of 5 to 240 Minutes and 2-, 5-, and 10-Year
Return Periods," Techmcal Paper No. S4, "Part I: West of the 115th
Meridian," Washington, D.C., August 1953, 19 pp. Revised February 1955.
"Part II: Between 105° W. and 115° W.," Washington, D.C., August 1954,
9 pp.
3. U.S. Weather Bureau, "Ramfall Intens1ties for Local Dramage Des1gn m
Coastal Reg10ns of North Afr1ca, Long1tude 11° W. to 14° E. for DuratiOns
of 5 to 240 Minutes and 2-, 5-, and 10-Year Return Periods," Washington,
D.C., September 1954, 13 pp.
4. U.S. Weather Bureau, "Ramfall Intens1t1es for Local Drainage Design m
Arct1c and Subarctic Rcg10ns of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Iceland
for DuratiOns of 5 to 240 Mmutes and 2-, 5-, 10-, 20-, and 50-Year Return
Periods," Washmgton, DC., September 1955, 13 pp.
5. U.S. Weather Bureau, "Ramfall Intensity-Duration-Frequency Curves for
Selected Stations in the Umted States, Alaska, Hawaiian Islands, and
Puerto Rico," Techmcal Paper No. S5, Washington, D.C., December 1955,
53 pp.
6. U.S. Weather Bureau, "Ramfall Intensities for Local Drainage Design in
Western United States," Techntcal Paper No. S8, Washington, D.C.,
November 1956, 46 pp.
7. U.S. Weather Bureau, "Rainfall Intensity-Frequency Regime," Techmcal
Paper No. S9, "Part I: The Ohio Valley," June 1957, 44 pp.; "Part 2:
Southeastern United States," March 1958, 51 pp.; "Part 3: The Middle
Atlantic Region," July 1958, 37 pp.; "Part 4: Northeastern United States,"
May 1959, 35 pp., "Part 5: Great Lakes Reg10n," February 1960, 31 pp.
Washington, D.C
8. U.S Weather Bureau, Form 1017, 189G-1958.
9. U.S. Weather Bureau, C!ima!ologtcal Record Book, 189Q-1958.
10. U.S. Weather Bureau, C!tma!olog>cal Dala, Nat.ona! Summary, monthly,
1950-1958.
11. U.S Weather Bureau, Hydrologtc Bulk!m, 194G-1948
12. US. Weather Bureau, Hourly Prectpilahon Data, 1951-1958.
13. U.S. Weather Bureau, Cltma!ologtcal Dala, by Sections 1897-1958.
14 M. A. Kohler, "Double-Mass Analysis for Testing the Consistency of
Records and for Making Reqmred Adjustments," Bu!lebn of the American
Meteorologtcal Socte!y, vol. 30, No.5, May 1949, pp. 188-189.
15. E. J. Gumbel, Slabsbcs of Extrem .., Columbia Univursity Press, 1958,
375 pp.
16. D. M. Hershfield and W T. Wlison, "A Comparison of Extreme Rainfall
Depths from Tropical and Nontropical Storms," Journal of Geophysical
Research, vol. 65, No 3, March 1960, pp. 959-982.
17. D. M. Hersh field and M. A. Kohler, "An Empirical Appraisal of the Gumbel
Extreme-Value Procedure," Journal of GeophyBtcal Research, vol. 65, No.6,
June 1960, pp. 1737-1746.
18. D. M. Hershfield, L. L. We1ss, and W T. Wilson, "Synthesis of Rainfall
Intensity-Frequency Regime," Proceedtngs, Amerocan Soctely of Ctvil
Engmeers, vol. 81, Sep No. 744, July 1955, pp. 1-6.
19. Arnold Court, "Some New Statistical Techmques m Geophysics," Advances
tn Geophystcs, vol. I, Academic Press, New York, 1952, pp. 45-85.
20. U.S. Weather Bureau, "Seasonal Variat1on of the Probable Maximum Pre-
cipitation East of the 105th Merid1an for Areas from 10 to 1000 Square
Miles and Durations of 6, 12, 24, and 48 Hours," Hydromeleorologtcal Report
No. 88, Aprd 1956, 58 pp.
21 U.S. Weather Bureau, "Generahzed Est1mates of Probable Mal<imum
Precipitation for the United States West of the 105th Mendmn for Areas
to 400 Square M1Ies and Durations to 24 Hours," Techmcal Paper No. 88,
1960, 66 pp.
7
 tOS" tOO' ... ...
I-YEAR 30-MINUTE RAINFALL (INCHES),_

M E X l c
G U L F 0 F

\
tOS" tOO' ... ITAND.t.BD P.t.a.t.Lt.J:La u• AND u•

8
 Chart 2
.... ,... ...
I
2-YEAR 30-MINUTE RAINFALL(INCHES)

t.y
I
I
I

I
X I c ~ I
-----I
0 F M E
G U L F

\ I
\,.. I

9
 \.;bart 3

,... ,... ... ...

S-YEAR 30-MINUTE RAINFALL (INCHES)

G U L F 0 F

\
,... ... ...
l't.&IC.D&RD P.AaALLELI U" &HD U"
tOO'

10
 Chan 4

105" 100' ... ...

10-YEAR 30-MINUTE RAINFALL (INCHES)

I c
G U L F 0 F

I
.IL.Ial lf\IOAL .&.IU:A PROIIC'I'ION

105" 100' ... ...

ltAN.DAaD PAA&LLILI u• &HD fol"

11
 \..nan. a

105" 100' ... ... ...

28-YEAR 30-MINUTE RAINFALL (INCHES)

X I c
0
M E
G U L F

ALIIII.I &qUAL .I.JI.I.A. PII.OI&CT(OM

105" 100' ... ...

I!.I.K.DAII.D PAJI..A.Lt.ILI U" AND u•
...
12
 Chart 6

... ...
~i-------r--
60 -YEAR 30-MINUTE RAINFALL (INCHES)

M E X I c
G U L F 0 F

\
&LII:RI EqUAL .t.RBA. pi\O.IBCTIOH
· - - - - - - - - 11'.t.NDARD P.t.IU.LLELI 11" AHD u•
95' 911'

13
 .... 100' ... ... ...
I ~--
Ioo-YEAR 30-MINUTE RAINFALL (INCHES)

G U L F

14
 X I C
0 F M E
G U L F

\
ALaEI\1 lqU.A.L .A.RII:.l Plt.OII:CT101f

... ...
11'.&JID&RD PAK&LLII:LI 11• &HD u•
...
15
 IDS" 100' ... ...
2-YEAR I-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

X I C 0
0
M E
G U L F

100 ~

ALSIRJ lqtr.U, AilE.& PJIIOIZC1'lOH

... ...
--
Jt.I.MDA&D P4JU..LLELI 11" AND u•
IDS" 100'

16
 . Chart 10

-~~w ·~ -------Tw-----------------T~~---------------;~--------------~T-----------------~

5-YEAR I-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

G U L F 0

.f.LII:RS EQUAL &REA PJt.OUCTIOH

11'.6.N.D&IlD P&R.t.LLII:LI 11" AND U"
w
·~
IW ~

17
 Chart 11

-----------~·~~~-------------·~ w
...
I I
10-YEAR I-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

X I c 0
M E
G U L F 0

&LaEKI ICIDAL .iKE.& PaOJaCTlOH

11'.1.N.tt.iaD f,U,.I.LI.I:LI n• AND u•

·~ ·~

18
 ,... 1<10'

25-YEAR I-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

.!If E X
c
G U L F 0

100'
trAlf.D4RD
.,.
PA.II.l1.\.Zl.l U" iND 4.1•

19
 .... '"" ...

SO-YEAR I-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

E X I c
0 M
G U L F

.A.LBI:J\1EQUAL &ILJ:.l PKOU:CTION

.... ...
IT&ND.A.RD PAIU.L1.EL8 II" AND oil"
100" 90'

20
110" .... ,,.. ... ...

100-YEAR I-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

c 0
G U L F 0

... ...
ALIE.al Eq,U.t..L AJlU, PROIECTION

""' .... ... 17AND.&IlD PAaALLILI u• £JIID ca•

... ,..

21
 ~i ·~------~i-------Tw-------r-------r-------r~~---+--~~~~~

I-YEAR 2-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

c 0
G U L F 0 F

\
.f.LBIII.I lqD&L .t.RI.&. PROJECTION

.... ·~
... - IT4NDARD UIU.L'LELI u• AHD •••

911'

22
 lOS" 100' ... ... ...
2-YEAR 2-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

\
E X I c
G U L F 0

...
ALIEII.I &qUAL AR&.t. PII.OIIl:CTION

lOS" 100' ... I!AN.D&II.D

...
PAJU.LL&LI u• AND u•

23
 Chart 17

IDS" 100' ... ...

S-YEAR 2-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

M
G U L F

.&LIRIU J:qUAL AREA PROJ.ICCTIOlf

.... IDS" 100' ... ...

11'Alf.DAilD PA&&Lt.J:LI u• AND u•

24
 Chart 18

.... .... ... .,.

10-YEAR 2-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

M E X I c
G U L F 0 F

\
ALBI:II.I EqUAL AIU:A PRO.III:C'I'IOH

.... ,,. .,.

11'ANDARD p,lJU.LLI:LS u• £MD U"

25
 ,... ... ...
'""

28-YEAR 2-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

M E X I c
G U L F 0

...
.&LIII:RI EqUAL .UI.IU. PROJJI!CTIOH

.... '"" ... ...

1'1'.\NDA.IlD" P.UU.Lt.&LI u• .XO u•

26
 U L F 0 F
G

.loLISERB
I
EQUAL AREA PRO.Jr.CTION
. IT.t.ND.t.RD PARALLELS u• AND tl"

27
 1115" 100' ...
100-YEAR 2-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

X I c
0
M E
G U L F

ALIKa• IQU.I.L .t.aU, PI\OUCTIOIC

1115" 100' ...

lt.&.ND.&aD P&&.&LLILI n• AND u•

28
 \..Dan~~

100" I DO' ... ...

I-YEAR 3-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

G U L F 0

.&.LBI:It.l I:Qti'.&.L .&.ll.l:.t. PII.OII:C'I'IOM

100' I DO' ... ...

1'1'4M.D&II.D P.&.ll..t.L1..1:LI II" .&.ND U"

29
 110" .... .... ... ...
2-YEAR 3-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

G U L F 0 F

I
.... .... ... ALBEII.I EQUAL AREA

...
PROJECTION
IT.&.NOARD P.UU.L'LEL8 n• AND U"

30
105" 100' ... ...
q-YEAR 3-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

M E X
c
G U L F 0 F

I
ALBZIU J:qVAL AII~A PllOIZCTfOH

100' ... ...

ITAH.DARD P.A.RALLI:LI n• AND U"

31
 lOS' 100' ...
10-YEAR 3-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

M E X I c
G U L F 0

100

.lLII:Jt.l KqV.t.L &IU.l PI\OIII:CTION

l'l'.I.N.D.A.I\D PAI\ALLI:LI 11• AND n•
lOS' 100'
""'
32
 .... .... ... ...
25-YEAR 3-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

G U L F 0 F

\
ALaJ:&I &QUAL .1.811:4 PI\OIJ:CTIOK

-- .... .... ... ...

lt.I.H.DA&D P&BAL'LICLI U" AND u•

33
 ,.,.. I DO' ...
SO-YEAR 3-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

G U L F 0 F

\
.
ALIJ:BI J:qOAL A&8.a PI\OUC'fiO,

105" 100' ... •'I'&N.DABD PABAL'L&LI II" AHD f.l"

""'
34
 .... '"'" ... ...
100 -YEAR 3-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

E X I c 0 ~
0 F M
G U L F

.
I ... ...
....
ALIKa• IIQO'.lL ARE.._ I'JIOUCTIOM
".AND
.... ... u•

--
atAH.DA-J) f,i.JI.• L\.KLI
100'

35
 .... 100' ...

I-YEAR 6-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

X I C
0 F M E
G U L F

\
ALBERS J:qVAL AREA PRO.IECTION

,... 100' ... U'AN.DARD PARALLELI Zl" AND tl"

90'

36
 Chart 30

,... ,... ... ...

2-YEAR 6-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

G U L F 0 F

\
.ALai:IU &IQ17AL Alt&A PROUCTIOK

,... 100' ... -

...
I'I'.&.N.DAaD PAIU.LLII:LI U" AHD u•

37
 ,... .... ... ...
S-YEAR 6-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

E X I c
0 M
G U L F

ALBII:IU SqtJ41, .I.ILJ:A PJLO,UC'I'IOR

.... ,... ... ...

I'I'AN.D&RD P&llALLI:LI U" AHD fol"

38
 Chart 32

.... 100" ...

10-YEAR 6-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

...

M E X I c
U L F 0 F
G

\
.t.LJI:RI EQUAL .A.RI:A PROIECTION

.... .... ... ...

l'l'.t.NDARD P.A.RALLELI u• AND u•

39
 ,... ... ...
'""

25-YEAR 6-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

X I C 0
0 F M E
G U L F

\
ALBII:It.l aqU.a.L .llli:.A PI\O.IIJ:CTIOif

.... '"" ... I'U.If.DAI\D P.t.RALLILI u• AND u•

...
40
 Chart 34

,... .... ... ...

SO -YEAR 6-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

X I c
M E
G U L F 0

41
 100" 100' ... ...
100-YEAR 6-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

...

M E X
c
G U L F 0

ALBI:R.8 SQU.lL ARIA PllOIICCTIOH

.... 100' ... l'tAHD.I.ItD PAR.A;I~L~I~10~•AH~D~O~I·-------~;--------------;;;;---------------:;.;;-----

42
 ,,.. .... ... ...

1-YEAR 12-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

G U L F 0 F

\
. ... ...
II .. .... I DO'
ltAH.D.&.IlD
...
r.&KALLJ:LI u• AHD u•

43
 Chart 37

105" 100" ... ...

2-YEAR 12-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

I
G U L F
~
105" 100" ... -
.......................
11'ANDARD ..":. :' ._"__'"
=
PAR&;E=LS-'1::_1"
•\
------L------------'-80"
,..

44
 Chart 38

1... 100" ... ...

S-YEAR 12-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

G U L F 0 F

ALBJ:R.I
I
J:QDAL ARII:& PRO.U::CTIOM

100" ... ...

l't&H.DAilD PARA.LLICLI U" AND U"

45
 ~-~~---;--~:::::::::=--------7'~-~-__:r r---·- i ~

-r--
10-YEAR 12-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)
2.5 '\
---

c 0
0 F
M E X
G U L F

\
ALBERS EQUAL AIU:o\ PRO,U:CTION

,... ... ...

l'r&M'.DARD P.lRALLEL8 U" AND u•

100'

46
 Chart 40

1... 100' ... ...

28-YEAR 12-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

M
G U L F

ALall:l\1 II:QU4L &1\IU, PltOIII:CTION

1... 100' ... ...

l'l'.t.N.D.&KD P.t.I\&L'L.ItLI II" &HD U"

47
 Chart 41

1... 100' ... ...

SO-YEAR 12.:;.HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

M E X
c
G U L F 0 F

ALBERS I:QUAL AIU:A PRO.U;CTION

105" 100' ... -

...
l"r.t.NDARD P.lRALLELS sa• AND u•
--~~---------------~-------------------~.

48
 .... .... ... ...
100-YEAR 12-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

E X I c
G U L F 0

"'
...

49
 Chart 43

,... .... ... ...

I
I-YEAR 24-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

M
G U L F

ALB11:81 ll:qU.U.. .iii.II:A Plt.OIICTION

.... 100' ... ...

lf'&N.U&RD P.a.a.t.LLII:LI u• AND u•

50
 Chart 44

,... 100' ... ...

2-YEAR 24-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

E X I c
0 M
G U L F

51
 105" 100' ... ...
S-YEAR 24-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

G U L F 0 F

\
ALBII:RI EQUAL &ltl.& PROU::CTIOH

100' ... ...

ITAN.D.&.RD P.I.I.ALLELI u• AND u•

52
 Chart 46

tOO" tOO' ...

10-YEAR 24-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

X I c
M E
G U L F 0

&LJEILI &qtJ&L &RII:& PROU::CTIOM

tOO' ... ...

I!&NDARD PARA Lt. ELl u• &HD u•
...
63
 105" 100' ... ...
25-YEAR 24-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

G U L F

105" 100' ... 11'AN.D&RD PA.IU.LL&LI

90"
11• AND u•

54
 Chart 48
.... '"" ... 00'

SO-YEAR 24-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

G U L F

AL.II:I\1 J:qU.t.L AA.IC.& IROIII:CTIOif

.... '"" ... I'U.H.D.t.RD IAA.t.LLJ:LI ll" AND U"

00'

55
 .... '"" ...

100-YEAR 24-HOUR RAINFALL (INCHES)

G U L F 0 F

\
.... '"" ... 6LBKRI SqU,U, .l.lt.l.t. Plt.OIICCTION
lt.AN.DAAD PAit.Al,.L.ILI u• AND u•
.,.

56
 110' 1... 100" ... ... ...
- - I
PROBABLE MAXIMUM 6-HOUR PRECIPITATION FOR 10 SQUARE
---~----------+---------~----------+---------

G U L F

.ALJEII.I &QUAL AltEA PRO,I':CTEON

1... 100" ... ...

l't.lNlU. RD PARAL1.1:LI za• AHD oil"

57
 120" ,,,. 110" 105" 100" --- ------.!,'..~-----~""~-----~85";:___ _ _ _ __.,.,.r------------T--::::::=------T ---,.,---;-------'i--r-----,
1
;~-7~~ ~--··RATIO-OFPROBA-BLE-M AXIMUM -S---HOUR PRECIPITATION FOR 10 SQUARE MILES
1

I I I
TO 100-YEAR 6-HOUR RAINFALL
I

M
G U L F

-·-· ----------
At.II::RI J:QUAL AREA. PltOUCTION
ITAND.t.Rb PARALLELI u• AND u•
... -

58
 Chart 52

SEASONAL PROBABILITY OF INTENSE 1-HOUR RAINFALL

100 100 100 100

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4

50 50 50 50
/'r-1
V)
co::
<(
40

30
j_
r-, 40

30
40

30
v 40

30 I\\
~ I \ I I 25 I
[_ ...... ,
25 25 25
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I / \ 20
I f\
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0 [\ /2\
0 15 15 15 15

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w
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30\ I I I /. ~t ~ \
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J F M A M J J A 5 0 N 0 J F M A M J J A 5 0 N D J F M A M J J A 5 0 N 0 J F M A M J J A 5 0 N D

100 100 100

PART 5 PART 7 PART 8

50
/'\ 50 50

40
I 40 t--t----t-i-t--+-t"-T-t----t-t-t--t-+--1 40 40

30
I
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z
0
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A RAINFAll IN ANY MONTH OF A PAR-

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59
 Chart 53

SEASONAL PROBABILITY OF INTENSE 6-HOUR RAINFALL

100 100 100

PART 1 PART 2 PART 4

~I
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40 .40 40 1---+--+-+--+--+-+--+-1---t---l-r~ 40
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100 100 100

PART 6 PART 7 PART 8

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40 1--t--t--t-1--+--t--t--; /'+-\-t-t----+--t------i 40 40 40

30 f--+---+--+-+--1--+---++--++,-+-t---+---1---l 30 30 30

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1\ PROBABiliTY IN PERCENT OF OBTAINING

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~
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60
 Chart 54
SEASONAL PROBABILITY OF INTENSE 24-HOUR RAINFAll
100 100 100 100
PART 1 PART 21 PART 3 PART 4

50 50 50 50

40 40 40 40
1/)

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PART 5 PART t. PART 7 PART 8

50

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61
6' U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1963 0-171'12.4