Database of design storms in Finland
Design storms can be used for example when planning urban runoff structures or as precipitation data in hydrological models. The database of design storms is based on radar measurements from Finland in 2013–2016 and extreme rain areas derived therefrom. In contrast to commonly used design storms with simple variation patterns in time (e.g. a triangle), the real momentary variations in intensity are shown in these present cases. The database contains heavy precipitation events whose statistical return period is up to three years. The table below shows several examples. The entire numerical data can be downloaded as an Excel file and all the hyetographs as PNG images.
Published: 17.4.2019
| Save the entire data as an Excel file |  |
Please select the duration of the accumulation period:
Examples of design storms with an accumulation period of 5 minutes. Start time, location (longitude and latitude), total precipitation, duration and return period are stated for each design storm. The momentary rain intensity, interpolated with storm motion into 1-minute intervals can be obtained by downloading the entire material. Clicking on the images of the examples will increase their size.
| Save all 5-minute precipitation images as PNG files | |
| Time [yyyymmddHHMM] | Lon WGS84 | Lat WGS84 | Precipitation P (mm) | Duration (min) | Return period (a) | Image Y: Precipitation/min, X: Time |
| 201608231443 | 22.8 | 60.5 | 20.6 | 5 | 100 |  |
| 201407171507 | 24.6 | 64.4 | 9.6 | 5 | 50 |  |
| 201407191054 | 28.9 | 60.4 | 8.9 | 5 | 10 |  |
| 201307251433 | 21.9 | 62.2 | 6.7 | 5 | 5 |  |
| 201505211609 | 27.4 | 64.8 | 6.1 | 5 | 3 |  |
Examples of design storms with an accumulation period of 15 minutes. Start time, location (longitude and latitude), total precipitation, duration and return period are stated for each design storm. The momentary rain intensity, interpolated with storm motion into 1-minute intervals can be obtained by downloading the entire material. Clicking on the images of the examples will increase their size.
| Save all 15-minute precipitation images as PNG files | |
| Time [yyyymmddHHMM] | Lon WGS84 | Lat WGS84 | Precipitation P (mm) | Duration (min) | Return period (a) | Image Y: Precipitation/min, X: Time |
| 201306071335 | 24.4 | 61.6 | 48.4 | 15 | 100 |  |
| 201607241220 | 25.3 | 64.5 | 19.4 | 15 | 50 |  |
| 201308011155 | 24.3 | 62.7 | 16.6 | 15 | 10 |  |
| 201508261400 | 26.8 | 60.8 | 11.4 | 15 | 5 |  |
| 201506221210 | 25.3 | 67.6 | 10.6 | 15 | 3 |  |
Examples of design storms with an accumulation period of 30 minutes. Start time, location (longitude and latitude), total precipitation, duration and return period are stated for each design storm. The momentary rain intensity, interpolated with storm motion into 1-minute intervals can be obtained by downloading the entire material. Clicking on the images of the examples will increase their size.
| Save all 30-minute precipitation images as PNG files | |
| Time [yyyymmddHHMM] | Lon WGS84 | Lat WGS84 | Precipitation P (mm) | Duration (min) | Return period (a) | Image Y: Precipitation/min, X: Time |
| 201309121500 | 28.2 | 61.4 | 30.6 | 30 | 100 |  |
| 201607280430 | 26.3 | 60.6 | 26.2 | 30 | 50 |  |
| 201408101820 | 24.5 | 64.2 | 23.0 | 30 | 10 |  |
| 201509210750 | 25.5 | 60.3 | 17.4 | 30 | 5 |  |
| 201608141335 | 29.7 | 61.3 | 13.5 | 30 | 3 |  |
Examples of design storms with an accumulation period of 60 minutes. Start time, location (longitude and latitude), total precipitation, duration and return period are stated for each design storm. The momentary rain intensity, interpolated with storm motion into 1-minute intervals can be obtained by downloading the entire material. Clicking on the images of the examples will increase their size.
| Save all 60-minute precipitation images as PNG files | |
| Time [yyyymmddHHMM] | Lon WGS84 | Lat WGS84 | Precipitation P (mm) | Duration (min) | Return period (a) | Image Y: Precipitation/min, X: Time |
| 201405251450 | 28.0 | 61.9 | 93.2 | 60 | 100 |  |
| 201607130945 | 29.1 | 62.6 | 30.4 | 60 | 50 |  |
| 201406081555 | 27.6 | 61.1 | 23.6 | 60 | 10 |  |
| 201509061055 | 26.2 | 65.4 | 19.9 | 60 | 5 |  |
| 201308050105 | 24.1 | 61.5 | 17.9 | 60 | 3 |  |
Examples of design storms with an accumulation period of 3 hours. Start time, location (longitude and latitude), total precipitation, duration and return period are stated for each design storm. The momentary rain intensity, interpolated with storm motion into 1-minute intervals can be obtained by downloading the entire material. Clicking on the images of the examples will increase their size.
| Save all 3-hour precipitation images as PNG files | |
| TIme [yyyymmddHHMM] | Lon WGS84 | Lat WGS84 | Precipitation P (mm) | Duration (min) | Return period (a) | Image Y: Precipitation/min, X: Time |
| 201308111345 | 22.8 | 60.5 | 90.9 | 180 | 500 |  |
| 201507250620 | 25.5 | 65.2 | 49.8 | 180 | 100 |  |
| 201405132125 | 27.0 | 62.6 | 37.4 | 180 | 10 |  |
| 201507111055 | 23.8 | 60.0 | 31.9 | 180 | 5 |  |
| 201605112300 | 22.5 | 62.6 | 25.8 | 180 | 3 |  |
Examples of design storms with an accumulation period of 6 hours. Start time, location (longitude and latitude), total precipitation, duration and return period are stated for each design storm. The momentary rain intensity, interpolated with storm motion into 1-minute intervals can be obtained by downloading the entire material. Clicking on the images of the examples will increase their size.
| Save all 6-hour precipitation images as PNG files | |
| Time [yyyymmddHHMM] | Lon WGS84 | Lat WGS84 | Precipitation P (mm) | Duration (min) | Return period (a) | Image Y: Precipitation/min, X: Time |
| 201308111125 | 22.8 | 60.5 | 92.3 | 360 | 500 |  |
| 201507100910 | 27.4 | 63.1 | 67.4 | 360 | 100 |  |
| 201406220640 | 22.6 | 60.4 | 42.5 | 360 | 10 |  |
| 201406210035 | 26.3 | 62.0 | 39.7 | 360 | 5 |  |
| 201609202150 | 25.8 | 66.5 | 34.0 | 360 | 3 |  |
Examples of design storms with an accumulation period of 12 hours. Start time, location (longitude and latitude), total precipitation, duration and return period are stated for each design storm. The momentary rain intensity, interpolated with storm motion into 1-minute intervals can be obtained by downloading the entire material. Clicking on the images of the examples will increase their size.
| Save all 12-hour precipitation images as PNG files | |
| Time [yyyymmddHHMM] | Lon WGS84 | Lat WGS84 | Precipitation P (mm) | Duration (min) | Return period (a) | Image Y: Precipitation/min, X: Time |
| 201306020725 | 22.2 | 62.4 | 120.8 | 720 | 500 |  |
| 201507160910 | 22.6 | 60.5 | 85.9 | 720 | 100 |  |
| 201608230835 | 22.8 | 60.5 | 65.2 | 720 | 50 |  |
| 201608070125 | 28.6 | 62.9 | 57.0 | 720 | 10 |  |
| 201608120720 | 26.4 | 65.8 | 41.9 | 720 | 3 |  |
Examples of design storms with an accumulation period of 24 hours. Start time, location (longitude and latitude), total precipitation, duration and return period are stated for each design storm. The momentary rain intensity, interpolated with storm motion into 1-minute intervals can be obtained by downloading the entire material. Clicking on the images of the examples will increase their size.
| Save all 24-hour precipitation images as PNG files | |
| Time [yyyymmddHHMM] | Lon WGS84 | Lat WGS84 | Precipitation P (mm) | Duration (min) | Return period (a) | Image Y: Precipitation/min, X: Time |
| 201607040100 | 25.1 | 62.7 | 119.0 | 1440 | 500 |  |
| 201608140510 | 21.7 | 62.6 | 71.7 | 1440 | 10 |  |
| 201507242140 | 25.5 | 65.2 | 51.9 | 1440 | 5 |  |
| 201408151310 | 26.7 | 60.8 | 49.0 | 1440 | 3 |  |
| 201309200425 | 26.0 | 60.4 | 47.2 | 1440 | 3 |  |
References:
Rimpiläinen, L. 2017. Mitoitussateiden muotokirjasto. Diplomityö. (Selection of radar based designstorms. Master's thesis. Abstract in English.) Aalto-yliopisto, Insinööritieteiden korkeakoulu. Espoo. 49 s. http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-201704133569
Suomen rakennusinsinöörien liitto RIL. 2004). Vesihuolto II. Suomen rakennusinsinöörien liitto, RIL 124-2-2004, Helsinki. 682 s. ISBN951-758-438-5
Aaltonen, J., Hohti, H., Jylhä, K., Karvonen, T., Kilpeläinen, T., Koistinen, J., Kotro, J., Kuitunen, T., Ollila, M., Parvio, A., Pulkkinen, S., Silander, J., Tiihonen, T., Tuomenvirta, H. & Vajda, A. 2008. Rankkasateet ja taajamatulvat (RATU) (Heavy rains and floods in urban areas. Abstract in English.) Suomen ympäristökeskus SYKE, Helsinki. Suomen ympäristö 31/2008. 123 s. http://hdl.handle.net/10138/38381
Authors: The Finnish Meteorological Institute in URCLIM project (Advance on Urban Climate Sercies) which is part of ERA4CS, an ERA-NET initiated by JPI Climate with co-funding of the European Union (Grant n°690462)
More information in Climateguide.fi:
Design rainfall information is used as a risk assessment tool in water management
Precipitation will increase and heavy rain events will intensify
Flood risk management measures can be used to prepare for floods
Precipitation return levels in Finland
Intensity and frequency of short-duration rainfall in Finland (interactive visualizing tool)
