Abstract: Based on hourly precipitation observations from the National Meteorological Information Center of the China Meteorological Administration and ERA5 hourly 0.25°×0.25° reanalysis data, this study investigates the spatiotemporal evolution patterns and underlying mechanisms of extreme precipitation events in central Hunan region, in order to enhance the regional rainstorm disaster prevention ability. We analyze the spatiotemporal distribution of extreme hourly precipitation and extreme precipitation events in central Hunan during summer from 2016 to 2025, and compare the associated abnormal circulation characteristics for events of different durations. The results are as follows. (1) The threshold, mean precipitation, and intensity of extreme hourly precipitation in central Hunan during summer exhibits a “north–south contrast” with higher values in the north and lower values in the south. High-value centers for threshold and intensity are located in the Chenxi-Mayang-Xupu area, while the high-value areas of mean precipitation and mean frequency are along the central Xuefeng Mountain range and its southern foothills. The ten-day periods with high-frequency of extreme hourly precipitation exhibit a phased "south-to-north" progression. (2) The frequency of extreme precipitation events shows a "low-high-low" pattern from west to east, while the mean precipitation amount exhibits a "more in the north, less in the south" distribution, The mean intensity presents multiple localized maxima. and the contribution rates of extreme precipitation events to total precipitation are particularly prominent in Anhua, Xupu, and Changsha County. (3) The short-duration extreme precipitation events peak in early to mid-August; medium-duration events peak in early June followed by late June; long-duration events peak from late June to early July. The diurnal variation of short- and long-duration events shows a unimodal pattern, peaking at 16:00 and 08:00 (Beijing time) respectively, while medium-duration events exhibit a bimodal pattern, with peaks at 16:00 and 07:00. (4) Short-duration events occur under the background of a weaker and eastward-displaced Western Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH), with an abnormal cyclonic circulation extending from central Hunan to the southeastern coast of China. In contrast, medium-duration and long-duration events occur under a westward-extended and stronger WPSH, accompanied by an anomalous anticyclone over the South China Sea to South China, which enhances moisture transport from the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea to central Hunan, These findings provide scientific references for monitoring, early warning, and disaster risk mitigation of extreme precipitation events in central Human.