Seasonal trends in urban and rural temperatures of twenty-eight cities within the United States

Monthly maximum, minimum, and average temperatures have been compared with satellite-derived vegetation index and radiant surface temperature for 28 cities throughout the Conterminous USA over a five year (1989-1993) interval. Urban and rural weather observation stations were identified for each of the examined cities. Urban-rural relationships in the observed station temperature and satellite data were examined. While general trends existed, e.g, urban-rural minimum temperature differences were usually greater than maximum temperature differences, there were deviations from the general trends. The general trends, deviations, and potential factors related to the deviations will be discussed.