Estimating the urban bias of surface shelter temperatures using upper-air and satellite data. Part 2: Estimation of the urban bias

Journal Article · Wed Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1995 · Journal of Applied Meteorology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450-34.2.358· OSTI ID:85438

Epperson, D L; Davis, J M; Bloomfield, P; Karl, T R; Mcnab, A L; Gallo, K P ^[1]

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1. North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (United States)

A methodology is presented for estimating the urban bias of surface shelter temperatures due to the effect of the urban heat island. Multiple regression techniques were used to predict surface shelter temperatures based on the time period 1986-89 using upper-air data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) to represent the background climate, site-specific data to represent the local landscape, and satellite-derived data -- the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) nighttime brightness data -- to represent the urban and rural landscape. Local NDVI and DMSP values were calculated for each station using the mean NDVI and DMSP values from a 3 km x 3 km area centered over the given station. Regional NDVI and DMSP values were calculated to represent a typical rural value for each station using the mean NDVI and DMSP values from a 1 deg x 1 deg latitude-longitude area in which the given station was located. Models for the United States were then developed for monthly maximum, mean, and minimum temperatures using data from over 1000 stations in the U.S. Cooperative (COOP) Network and for monthly mean temperatures with data from over 1150 stations in the Global Historical Climate Network (GHCN). Local biases, or the differences between the model predictions using the observed NDVI and DMSP values, and the predictions using the background regional values were calculated and compared with the results of other research.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 85438
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Meteorology, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Meteorology Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 34; ISSN JOAMEZ; ISSN 0894-8763
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AERIAL MONITORING
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
TEMPERATURE MONITORING
URBAN AREAS