Title 15 — Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§8562 Improving probable maximum precipitation estimates

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 111— - WEATHER RESEARCH AND FORECASTING INNOVATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IV— - IMPROVING FEDERAL PRECIPITATION INFORMATION › § 8562

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Within 90 days after the National Academies publishes its report, the NOAA Administrator must work with partners and data users to make a plan that does four things: update probable maximum precipitation (PMP) estimates for the United States within 6 years of the report and at least every 10 years after that, making sure each update considers non‑stationarity (that precipitation patterns can change over time); coordinate research on extreme precipitation based on the report’s research needs; post all NOAA PMP studies that NOAA can legally share and that are ready for release on NOAA’s website in a searchable, interoperable format; and preserve, organize, and serve all related PMP data, products, documentation, and metadata. The Administrator must also develop a National Guidance Document with federal, state, territorial, Tribal, local, academic, and other partners. The Guidance must give best practices for agencies and consultants who do PMP studies, take into account the National Academies’ recommendations, make it easier for regulators to review PMP studies, and help build confidence in regional and site-specific PMP estimates. NOAA must publish the Guidance on its website within 2 years of the Academies’ report and update it at least once every 10 years, publishing each update the same way.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §8562

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than 90 days after the date on which the National Academies makes public the report under section 8561 of this title, the Administrator, in consideration of the report recommendations, shall consult with relevant partners, including users of the data, on the development of a plan to—

(1)not later than 6 years after the completion of such report and not less than every 10 years thereafter, update probable maximum precipitation estimates for the United States, such that each update considers non-stationarity;

(2)coordinate with partners to conduct research in the field of extreme precipitation estimation, in accordance with the research needs identified in such report;

(3)make publicly available, in a searchable, interoperable format, all probable maximum precipitation studies developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that the Administrator has the legal right to redistribute and deemed to be at an appropriate state of development on an internet website of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and

(4)ensure all probable maximum precipitation estimate data, products, and supporting documentation and metadata developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are preserved, curated, and served by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as appropriate.

(b)The Administrator, in collaboration with Federal agencies, State, territorial, Tribal and local governments, academia, and other partners the Administrator deems appropriate, shall develop a National Guidance Document that—

(1)provides best practices that can be followed by Federal and State regulatory agencies, private meteorological consultants, and other users that perform probable maximum precipitation studies;

(2)considers the recommendations provided in the National Academies study under section 8561 of this title;

(3)facilitates review of probable maximum precipitation studies by regulatory agencies; and

(4)provides confidence in regional and site-specific probable maximum precipitation estimates.

(c)Not later than 2 years after the date on which the National Academies makes public the report under section 8561 of this title, the Administrator shall make publicly available the National Guidance Document under subsection (b) on an internet website of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

(d)The Administrator shall update the National Guidance Document not less than once every 10 years after the publication of the National Guidance Document under subsection (c) and publish such updates in accordance with such subsection.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 8562

Title 15 — Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73