Values of persistence of precipitation for each of the four seasons have been derived for 108 cities in the conterminous United States for a selected combination of time intervals. These values show significant differences between stations and seasons and shed considerable light on the general behavior of storm systems and atmospheric circulations responsible for precipitation occurrences. Examples are given illustrating the application of persistence to the forecasting problem, and the relationship between persistence and the coefficient of correlation involving successive precipitation events is developed. The data presented should serve as important supplementary information to the forecaster in evaluating continuity trends in precipitation.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has developed a technique for forecasting extratropical storm surges along the northeast coast of the United States. The storm surge is caused mainly by the strong winds associated with extra-tropical storms over nearshore areas.