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<br />t <br /> <br />PRECIPITATION RECORDS AND FLOOD-PRODUCING STORMS IN <br /> <br />CHEYENNE. WYOMING <br /> <br />By J. B. Lindner-Lunsford <br /> <br />ABSTRACT <br /> <br />Annual maximum precipitation data for Cheyenne, Wyoming are presented <br />for ,the years 1902-86 for durations of 5, 10, 15, and 30 minutes, and 1 and <br />2 hours. Annual maximum precipitation data for 24-hour duration, are <br />presented for the years 1871-1986. Precipitation-frequency curves are <br />developed using only data collected before 1985. A second set ofprecipita- <br />tion frequency curves are developed based on data collected from 1871 <br />through 1986 (including the storm of August 1, 1985), The data are plotted <br />and analyzed in three ways, assuming: (1) The data are described by an <br />arithmetic Gumbel distribution, (2) the logarithms of the data are described <br />by a Gumbel distribution, and (3) the logarithms of the data are described <br />by a Pearson Type III distribution. The inclusion of data for the large <br />storm of August 1, 1985, had the most noticeable effect on the prediction of <br />the magnitude of storms of long recurrence interval for the 1- and 2-hour <br />durations. <br /> <br />Four different methods of analysis were used to develop seven <br />intensity-duration curves for the 100-year storm. These curves were <br />compared to the observed curve for the August 1, 1985, storm. For durations <br />greater than 30 minutes, the observed curve indicates greater intensity than <br />do five of the seven calculated curves. <br /> <br />Dimensionless hyetographs were developed for 10 flood-producing storms <br />that have occurred in the Cheyenne area since 1903. Pattern index (integral <br />of the dimensionless hyetograph curve) was calculated for each storm. The <br />index for the storm of August 1, 1985, is three standard deviations less <br />than the mean of the pattern indices calculated for the remaining nine <br />storms--indicating that the distribution of precipitation over time for the <br />August 1 storm was outside the normal range for Cheyenne. <br /> <br />1 <br />