Thunderstorm Rainfall in the Conterminous United States
Open Access
- 1 September 2001
- journal article
- Published by American Meteorological Society in Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society
- Vol. 82 (9) , 1925-1940
- https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0477(2001)082<1925:tritcu>2.3.co;2
Abstract
Thunderstorm rainfall amounts during the 1950–94 period were determined for 51 first-order stations distributed across the United States, and these values were assessed for seasonal and annual variations in both space and time. Thunderstorms produce 48% of the average annual precipitation received in the Mississippi River basin, which embraces 41% of the United States. Hence, the temporal and spatial variations in thunderstorm rainfall are major factors affecting most of the nation's water cycle. However, thunderstorm rainfall is only a small part of the total precipitation on the West Coast, typically less than 10% of the annual total. Thunderstorms maximize in the summer in most areas and produce 72% of the total summer rainfall that occurs east of the Rocky Mountains. Thunderstorm rainfall in the spring exceeds summer values in the southern plains and portions of California with 40% of the annual average storm precipitation, but spring values rank second in most areas of the nation. Thunderstorm rainfa... Thunderstorm rainfall amounts during the 1950–94 period were determined for 51 first-order stations distributed across the United States, and these values were assessed for seasonal and annual variations in both space and time. Thunderstorms produce 48% of the average annual precipitation received in the Mississippi River basin, which embraces 41% of the United States. Hence, the temporal and spatial variations in thunderstorm rainfall are major factors affecting most of the nation's water cycle. However, thunderstorm rainfall is only a small part of the total precipitation on the West Coast, typically less than 10% of the annual total. Thunderstorms maximize in the summer in most areas and produce 72% of the total summer rainfall that occurs east of the Rocky Mountains. Thunderstorm rainfall in the spring exceeds summer values in the southern plains and portions of California with 40% of the annual average storm precipitation, but spring values rank second in most areas of the nation. Thunderstorm rainfa...Keywords
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