Comparison of Point Precipitation Frequency Analyses of Storm-Typed Maxima and Overall Maxima for a Region in Eastern Tennessee
Publication: Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 25, Issue 8
Abstract
In frequency analysis of point precipitation extremes, one approach that has been suggested is to segregate precipitation data by storm type. Thus, for short-duration (e.g., 2-h) extremes, only observations from convective storms would be considered in the analysis. The supposition informing this choice is that only convective events are capable of generating truly extreme 2-h precipitation depths. In this paper, annual maxima of 2-h point precipitation are evaluated for a region in eastern Tennessee using a storm-type database that identifies convective events. The use of storm typing contrasts with the standard procedure of using data from all storms to develop annual maxima series. This paper presents comparative frequency analyses of convective event and overall annual maxima series. For extremely low-probability events, predicted regional quantiles are slightly lower for convective event maxima than for annual maxima. However, differences between quantiles at individual sites vary widely. The convective event maxima series tend to have lower means, higher coefficients of variation, and slightly lower skewness (with great variability) than annual maxima series. Differences between extreme quantiles for convective event and annual maxima are correlated with differences in skewness. Overall, the differences between the regional results obtained from the convective event and annual maxima used in this study of 2-h precipitation are small, but differences at individual sites vary widely.
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Data Availability Statement
The DDST and the LH-moments routines used in the study were provided by third parties. Direct requests for these materials may be made to the providers indicated in the Acknowledgments.
The precipitation data and L-moments routines used in the study were obtained from the public domain and can be made available from the corresponding author by request. Several Fortran routines used in this study are proprietary and may only be provided with restrictions; interested parties should contact the corresponding author for further information.
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to acknowledge the Tennessee Valley Authority for courteously making the DDST available through M. G. Schaefer, and Q. T. Wang for generously sharing the Fortran routines for implementing the LH-moments approach.
Disclaimer
This work of authorship and those incorporated herein were prepared by Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (CNS) as accounts of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government under Contract DE-NA0001942. Accordingly, the US Government retains a paid-up, nonexclusive, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce this work for US Government purposes only. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor CNS, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility to any non-governmental recipient hereof for the accuracy, completeness, use made, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency or contractor thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency or contractor (other than the authors) thereof.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 25 • Issue 8 • August 2020
Copyright
©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 7, 2019
Accepted: Feb 10, 2020
Published online: Jun 12, 2020
Published in print: Aug 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Nov 12, 2020
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