Extended Abstract (32K)P1.24
Examining local and regional temperature changes for the 1977-2003 period using a truly homogeneous station record
David R. Easterling, NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC, Asheville, NC; and M. Menne, C. N. Williams, D. Levinson, and G. M. Goodge
It is rare that an observing station’s time series of temperature can be considered truly homogeneous for any extended period. However, one such station that can be considered truly homogeneous is a mountain-top station in the U.S. Cooperative Network near Asheville, NC (Swannanoa 2 SSE) that has station history information and personal assurance by the observer that there have been no landscape or instrument changes, or missing data, that might impact the observed time series for the period 1977-2003 (G. Goodge, personal communication). The temperature time series for this station show a clear warming signal for the period, with a trend in the mean annual temperature of 0.5C/decade, a trend in the annual maximum of 0.6C/decade and in the annual minimum of 0.3C/decade. Here we use the temperature record for a number of Cooperative observing stations in the region around Asheville for comparison with the temperature signal from Swannanoa 2 SSE and to examine one aspect of urban influence on temperature trends using a station (Asheville Downtown) that has been an urbanized rooftop station for the entire 1977-2003 period.
Poster Session 1, Poster Session: Climate Assessments, Drought, and Observed Climate Change
Monday, 10 January 2005, 2:30 PM-4:00 PM
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