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A range of different statistical downscaling models was calibrated using both observed and general circulation model (GCM) generated daily precipitation time series and intercompared. The GCM used was the U.K. Meteorological Office, Hadley Centre's coupled ocean/atmosphere model (HadCM2) forced by combined CO₂ and sulfate aerosol changes. Climate model results for 1980–1999 (present) and 2080–2099 (future) were used, for six regions across the United States. The downscaling methods compared were different weather generator techniques (the standard “WGEN” method, and a method based on spell‐length durations), two different methods using grid point vorticity data as an atmospheric predictor variable (B‐Circ and C‐Circ), and two variations of an artificial neural network (ANN) transfer function technique using circulation data and circulation plus temperature data as predictor variables …