Rainfall Distribution And Extreme Flash Floods in Semi-Arid Region of El Paso, Texas

This research aims to evaluate rainfall distribution and flood events in relation to climate variability in Texas. Cities in semi-arid regions, such as El Paso, Texas, are becoming more vulnerable to flash flooding due to rapid urbanization, dense and complex infrastructure, and changes in precipitation patterns caused by climate change. It is anticipated that the frequency of heavy rainfall and extreme events such as flash floods may occur often in the area. The study will evaluate potential changes in rainfall patterns and their impacts on flash flood events using ground measurements from the National Weather Service (NWS), Continuous Ambient Monitoring Stations (CAMS) operated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and Unified Forecast System (UFS) weather model results. CAMS stations' data throughout the city provided critical information about precipitation distribution. The city's historical rainfall data and assessed flash flood events' current frequency and severity will be evaluated as the baseline of such events. The preliminary analysis suggests that the region's average annual rainfall has fluctuated in last few decades with an increase in intense rainfall events and associated flash flooding.