Skip Navigation Link www.nws.noaa.gov  
NOAA logo - Click to go to the NOAA homepage National Weather Service   NWS logo - Click to go to the NWS homepage
Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center
   
 

 
 
Probable Maximum Precipitation
Viewing many of the PMP and PF documents requires the DjVu Browser Plug-in. Viewing some documents may require the Adobe Reader.
To download the DjVu plug-in, click here. To download the Adobe Acrobat Reader plugin, click here.
The DjVu plug-in works best with Internet Explorer version 5.5 or higher. NOTE: To print a copy of the page you are viewing, use the print icon within the DjVu Browser Plug-in. Do not use the browser print icon or menu because it does not have the same functionality. Some of the documents below are available for downloads as the "full document" as well as in "parts" to accommodate those with slower internet connections due to the large file sizes. Click on the links below to view.

PMP Definition

The most current definition of PMP is as follows: "Theoretically, the greatest depth of precipitation for a given duration that is physically possible over a given size storm area at a particular geographical location at a certain time of the year." This definition comes from Hydrometeorological Report 55A (HMR 55A). 


PMP studies map


Hydrometeorological Report 39
Probable maximum precipitation in the Hawaiian Islands
Entire Document
(4 MB)
Viewing these documents requires the DjVu plugin. Click icon to download.
Hydrometeorological Report 47
Meteorological criteria for extreme floods for four basins in the Tennessee and Cumberland Watershed
All Parts
(476KB)
Part 1
(45 KB)
Part 2
(144 KB)
Part 3
(289 KB)
Viewing these documents requires the DjVu plugin. Click icon to download.
Hydrometeorological Report 48
Probable maximum precipitation and snowmelt criteria for Red River of the North above Pembina, and Souris River above Minot, North Dakota
All Parts
(497KB)
Part 1
(51 KB)
Part 2
(190 KB)
Part 3
(152 KB)
Part 4
(87 KB)
Part 5
(19 KB)
Viewing these documents requires the DjVu plugin. Click icon to download.
Hydrometeorological Report 49
Probable Maximum Precipitation Estimates, Colorado River and Great Basin Drainages
All Parts
(24 MB)
Part 1
(153 KB)
Part 2
(2.7 MB)
Part 3
(853 KB)
Part 4
(668 KB)
Part 5
(1.7 MB)
Part 6
(2 MB)
Part 7
(3.3 MB)
Part 8
(4.4 MB)
Part 9
(5.3 MB)
Part 10
(3.5 MB)
Viewing these documents requires the DjVu plugin. Click icon to download.
Hydrometeorological Report 50
The meteorology of important rainstorms in the Colorado River and Great Basin drainages
All Parts
(2.3 MB)
Part 1
(110 KB)
Part 2
(358 KB)
Part 3
(544 KB)
Part 4
(133 KB)
Part 5
(87 KB)
Part 6
(398 KB)
Part 7
(171 KB)
Part 8
(75 KB)
Part 9
(353 KB)
Part 10
(42 KB)
Part 11
(181 KB)
Viewing these documents requires the DjVu plugin. Click icon to download.
Hydrometeorological Report 51
Probable Maximum Precipitation Estimates, United States East of 105th Meridian
All Parts
(14.3 MB)
Part 1
(108 KB)
Part 2
(245 KB)
Part 3
(1.1 MB)
Part 4
(78 KB)
Part 5
(12.3 MB)
Part 6
(52 KB)
Part 7
(127 KB)
Viewing these documents requires the DjVu plugin. Click icon to download.
Hydrometeorological Report 52
Application of Probable Maximum Precipitation Estimates - United States East of 105th Meridian
All Parts
(11.1 MB)
Part 1
(393 KB)
Part 2
(554 KB)
Part 3
(933 KB)
Part 4
(5.6 MB)
Part 5
(1 MB)
Part 6
(1.3 MB)
Part 7
(406 KB)
Viewing these documents requires the DjVu plugin. Click icon to download.
Hydrometeorological Report 53
Seasonal Variation of 10-Square Mile Probable Maximum Precipitation Estimates - United States East of the 105th Meridian
All Parts
(3 MB)
Part 1
(134 KB)
Part 2
(450 KB)
Part 3
(874 KB)
Part 4
(1.6 MB)
Part 5
(84 KB)
Part 6
(78 KB)
Viewing these documents requires the DjVu plugin. Click icon to download.
Hydrometeorological Report 54
Probable Maximum Precipitation and Snowmelt Criteria for Southeast Alaska
All Parts
(1.4 MB)
Part 1
(168 KB)
Part 2
(422 KB)
Part 3
(550 KB)
Part 4
(461 KB)
Part 5
(45 KB)
Viewing these documents requires the DjVu plugin. Click icon to download.
Hydrometeorological Report 55A
Probable Maximum Precipitation Estimates - United States Between the Continental Divide and 103rd Meridian
All Parts
(10.8 MB)
Part 1
(598 KB)
Part 2
(1.6 MB)
Part 3
(158 KB)
Part 4
(360 KB)
Part 5
(216 KB)
Part 6
(574 KB)
Part 8
(256 KB)
Part 9
(190 KB)
Part 10
(183 KB)
Part 11
(2.1 MB)
Part 12
(653 KB)
Part 13
(197 KB)
Part 14
(224 KB)
Part 15
(2.8 MB)
Part 16
(2.8 MB)
Part 17
(2.3 MB)
Part 18
(3.1 MB)
Part 19
(3.3 MB)
Part 20
(2.6 MB)
Part 21
(3.5 MB)
Part 22
(3.5 MB)
Part 23
(2.7 MB)
Part 24
(3.7 MB)
Part 25
(3.7 MB)
Part 26
(2.7 MB)
Part 27
(2.1 MB)
Part 28
(2.1 MB)
Part 29
(1.9 MB)
Part 30
(2.4 MB)
Part 31
(2.3 MB)
Part 32
(2.1 MB)
Part 33
(364 KB)
Viewing these documents requires the DjVu plugin. Click icon to download.
Hydrometeorological Report 56
Probable Maximum and TVA Precipitation Estimates With Areal Distribution for Tennessee River Drainages Less Than 3,000 Square Mi in Area
All Parts
(4.3 MB)
Part 1
(224 KB)
Part 2
(569 KB)
Part 3
(550 KB)
Part 4
(831 KB)
Part 5
(991 KB)
Part 6
(413 KB)
Part 7
(340 KB)
Part 8
(75 KB)
Viewing these documents requires the DjVu plugin. Click icon to download.
Hydrometeorological Report 57
Probable Maximum Precipitation - Pacific Northwest States, Columbia River (including portions of Canada), Snake River and Pacific Coastal Drainages
All Parts
(7.2 MB)
Part 1
(271 KB)
Part 2
(304 KB)
Part 3
(309 KB)
Part 4
(244 KB)
Part 5
(368 KB)
Part 6
(1 MB)
Part 7
(676 KB)
Part 8
(320 KB)
Part 9
(868 KB)
Part 10
(313 KB)
Part 11
(147 KB)
Part 12
(902 KB)
Part 13
(401 KB)
Part 14
(624 KB)
Part 15
(58 KB)
Part 16
(4.1 MB)
Part 17
(3.2 MB)
Part 18
(3.9 MB)
Part 19
(4.5 MB)
Part 20
(269 KB)
Viewing these documents requires the DjVu plugin. Click icon to download.
Hydrometeorological Report 58
Probable Maximum Precipitation for California , Calculation Procedures
All Parts
(2.6 MB)
Part 1