In search of regularities in extreme rainstorms

In this paper we have studied the statistical properties of several characteristics of extreme midwestern storms. In particular, we have analyzed the storm occurrence process in space and time, storm shape and orientation, total storm center depth, storm duration, storm areal extent, and depth-area relationships. Our analysis is based on the data base of extreme storms published by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Several trends and regularities among extreme midwestern storms have been identified and are expected to prove useful in developing and/or evaluating empirical and physically based models of extreme rainfall. -from Authors