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<br />PROBABLE MAXIMUM PRECIPITATION ESTIMATES - UNITED STATES BETWEEN <br />THE COIITINEIITAL DIVIDE AND THE 103RD MERIDIAN <br /> <br />E.M. Hansen, and D.D. Fenn <br />Water Management Information Division <br />Office of Hydrology <br />National Weather Service, NOAA, <br />and <br />L.C. Schreiner and R.W. Stodt <br />Flood Section, Surface Water Branch <br />Earth Sciences Division <br />Bureau of Reclamation <br />and <br />J.F. Miller, Consulting Meteorologist <br /> <br />ABSTRACT This study provides all-season general-storm probable <br />maximum precipitation (PMP) estimates for durations from 1 to <br />72 hr for the region between the Continental Divide and the <br />103rd meridian. For the nonorographic portions of eastern <br />Montana, Wyoming, North and South Dakota, Colorado, New Mexico <br />and western Tex~s, estimates are available for area sizes from <br />10 to 20,000 mi. For orographic regions of these states east <br />of the Continental Diviqe estimates are available for area <br />sizes from 10 to 5,000 mi . <br /> <br />The study also provides estimates of local-storm PMP for the <br />region. These estimates cover durations from 15 min to 6 hr <br />and drainage areas between 1 and 500 mi2. <br /> <br />A step-by-step procedure for computing PMP is presented for <br />both the general- and local-s torm criteria. An example has <br />been worked out for the general-storm criteria. <br /> <br />1. INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />1.1 Background <br /> <br />Previously, generalized estimates of probable maximum precipitation (PMP) have <br />been available for portions of the study region (United States between the <br />Continental Divide and the 103rd meridian) in Technical Paper No. 38 (U.S. <br />Weather Bureau 1960) and east of the 105th meridian in Hydrometeorological Report <br />No. 51 (Schreiner and Riedel 1978) and 52 (Hansen et al. 1982). Technical Paper <br />No. 38 (TP 38) applied to the region west of the 105th meridian but PMP values <br />were restricted to areas less than 400 mi2 and to durations up to 24 hr. <br />Hydrometeorological Report No. 51 and 52 (HMR No. 51 and 52) provided PMP <br />estimates for the region east of the 105th meridian, except the zone between the <br />103rd and 105th meridian was stippled to indicate an area where estimates may be <br />