Articles | Volume 30, issue 13
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-4343-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-4343-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
15 Jul 2026
Research article |
| 15 Jul 2026
| 15 Jul 2026
Critical assessment of metrics and methods used to quantify temporal loading of rainfall events
School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
Mark A. Trigg
School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
Cathryn E. Birch
Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
Rasmus Lau Thejlade Henriksen
Weather research, Danish Meteorological Institute. Sankt Kjelds Plads 11, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark
Steven J. Böing
Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
Jonas Wied Pedersen
Weather research, Danish Meteorological Institute. Sankt Kjelds Plads 11, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark
DTU Sustain, Technical University of Denmark. Bygningstorvet Building 115, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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Short summary
How rainfall is distributed over the course of a storm can critically shape flooding, erosion, and water resource impacts. This study reviews nearly fifty metrics used to describe storm patterns and tests their performance when rainfall events are processed differently or are at different resolutions. Our results reveal which metrics are most robust, how they overlap or diverge, and introduce a unifying framework that clarifies storm structure for future research and applied use.
How rainfall is distributed over the course of a storm can critically shape flooding, erosion,...
