An evaluation of climate change in Phoenix using an automatic synoptic climatological approach

Conference · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · World Resource Review; (United States)

OSTI ID:7012516

Cheng, S; Kalkstein, L S ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States). Dept. of Geography

The authors develop an automatic synoptic climatological categorization for summer and winter in Phoenix by means of principal components analysis and clustering analysis, for the purpose of determining climatic trends over the past 40 years. The categorization is used to determine if the frequencies of occurrences of the coldest and warmest air masses have changed and if the physical characteristics of these air masses have shown signs of modification in both seasons from 1948--1991. It appears that the frequencies of the hottest air masses in summer and the warmest air masses in winter and the coolest air masses in summer have decreased. In addition, mean temperature within each of the selected four air mass groups have increased 0.9--3.0 C from 1948 to 1991, and temperatures at 2:00 AM and 8:00 PM have increased changes are very closely related to the growth of the Phoenix metropolitan area and increased urban sprawl.

• OSTI ID: 7012516
• Report Number(s): CONF-930415--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: World Resource Review; (United States) Journal Volume: 5:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540110*
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
ARIZONA
CLIMATIC CHANGE
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EVALUATION
NORTH AMERICA
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
USA
VARIATIONS
WEATHER