Semester of Graduation

Summer 2026

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Geography and Anthropology

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

This study evaluates the climatic credibility of a newly identified historical rainfall dataset for New Orleans, Louisiana, spanning 1840–1893. The New Orleans Historical Dataset (NOHD) is compared to a modern observational record from the Audubon rain gauge (1893–2024) to determine whether nineteenth-century rainfall observations are consistent with known precipitation behavior in the region. Establishing the reliability of early records is critical for extending climatological baselines and improving understanding of long-term rainfall variability.

Historical rainfall observations were first evaluated through archival review using the New Orleans Medical and Surgical Journal and other nineteenth-century meteorological records to verify notable rainfall events. Daily observations from both datasets were then quality controlled and aggregated to monthly, seasonal, and annual timescales. Archival evidence independently confirmed several notable rainfall events documented within the NOHD, while statistical analyses indicated no significant differences in annual rainfall distributions between the NOHD and the AD.

These findings demonstrate that the NOHD provides a climatologically credible representation of nineteenth-century precipitation in New Orleans. Extending the rainfall record enhances the ability to assess long-term variability, contextualize modern precipitation and flood-producing rainfall events, and strengthens the historical foundation for future climatological research in southeastern Louisiana.

Date

7-1-2026

Committee Chair

Jill Trepanier

LSU Acknowledgement

1

LSU Accessibility Acknowledgment

1

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