A Climatological Perspective on U.S. Rainfall and North Atlantic Tropical Cyclones

North Atlantic tropical cyclones (TCs) are major contributors to annual precipitation over large areas of the United States, in particular along the Gulf Coast, Florida and the Eastern Seaboard. Studies have shown large inter-annual as well as decadal variations in rainfall associated with TCs, but there is limited evidence concerning the possible factors controlling these variations. In this study we focus on rainfall associated with North Atlantic TCs and its impact over the continental United States during the period of 1948 - 2013. Results are based on gridded daily rainfall provided by the Climate Prediction Center (Daily US Unified Gauge-Based Analysis of Precipitation). Based on this 66-year record, we will show the areas of the United States that are more susceptible to TC-rainfall. Moreover, we will also examine the role played by different climate phenomena (e.g., the North Atlantic Oscillation, El Nino - Southern Oscillation) in controlling the interannual variability of TC rainfall