Data Analysis

This is an average temperature map of the U. S. The average temperature in March from the year 1895 til 2010.  The average temperature from 1901-2000 was 41.50F.  The trend seemed to be lower temperatures in March in 1901-1904 then a huge drop in temperature in 1905, then around 1907 to 1910 there was a huge increase in the average temperature with a jump from 41F the previous year to 49F.  Then the following year there was a huge decrease again from 49F to 36F.  The trend seemed to go from warmer to colder every other year.  Then when 1970’s came around there were no more temperature averages below 38F and it stayed that way until 2010. I imagine it is going to continue to get a higher average each year due to global warming.   In 2009 there was a big jump to over 50F and then the following year it was back down to the 41F.  The average for that time is 41F and the last year on the graph (2010) is 41F, so that is pretty close to average temperature. 

i)                    What are the top ten coldest years in Wisconsin?

 

g)      How does the information in letters a-f relate to the current debate we have in our society concerning climate change? What other forms of data might society rely upon to make a better informed answer on this topic? Qualify your answer with a suitable response.

I believe that the data does show a climate change model.  Although the climate change includes many aspects not just temperature and precipitation, it does give us an idea of how many states have above average temperatures and the new analysis of “much above average.”  The whole entire western half of the country had much above temperatures.  There were only 4 states with much below average.  With about half of the United States being “much above average”, this temperature increase will produce a need for more water due to more water needed due to evaporation and crops will need more water.  This area of the U.S. particularly California, Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona is already the driest part of the U. S. so this heat could cause numerous problems and water shortages.   According to the Wisconsin precipitation map for March, it shows within that time of 2000-2010 that only one year was over 3 inches in 2005.  So in essence global warming increases our need for water which is a valuable resource and certain areas of the U.S. do not have it in abundance.  This can be a big deal in some areas of the country but here in Wisconsin we are fortunate to have a great deal of water, maybe the effects of global warming will not be as noticed here in Wisconsin but it is going to happen eventually. 

The precipitation increased throughout the spring months and peaked in summer and started to decrease in the fall. 

Precipitation in the 3 areas seems like since they are so close in distance that they should be very similar but there are many factors that make them very different.  Such as if an area is in a valley or near water.  Minneapolis has much less rain than Eau Claire.  It seems that Eau Claire is always in the pathway for rain and storms.  Since Jan. 1, Eau Claire had 5.12 inches and Minneapolis was only 3.84 inches in the same time period.  Snowfall was also higher in Eau Claire.  Proximity to the Mississippi River and or the Eau Claire River could be a factor as well. 

Lacrosse, WI there was no information available. 

Climographs

 



This climograph shows how Wausau is very similar to Madison but it also shows that it was much colder in Wausau than it was in Madison.  The data that was collected for temperature was from 1961-1990 and the precipitation was from 1941 to 1955. 

This climograph shows that in July Superior was warmer than the other graphs at the same time period.  It was also warmer in August.  I would think that it would be colder due to the effect of the water but that is not the case.  The data collected from temperature is from 1931 to 1995 and for precipitation it was 1961 and 1990. 

This climograph shows how the precipitation was much higher than the temperatures in the spring months but in August, September and October there was not much precipitation at all.  It was a dry time and then in November the precipitation started to increase as the temperature decreased so I imagine that was a lot of snow.  This data was collected from 1871 to 1980 for the temperature and from 1948 to 1954 for the precipitation. 


5,6,7
The reason it is useful to compare data is more than one location is because of how close two places can be to each other and how different the weather such as temperature and precipitation can be.  It can be very different or very similar. Location to a large body of water, mountains, plains areas, are just a few of the influences on how an area reacts to weather patterns.  Microclimates are also in play.  Such as you can dress for the weather outside your home then drive a few miles away close to the water and it may be more windy or more chilly.  Other instances have happened where you can leave your house and its raining and only a few miles away there is sunshine and not a cloud in the sky.  Although all the cities analyzed are in the same general area of the United States, the weather and patterns can be very different.  The way data is collected is important as well. Are the data collection techniques the same in each of the areas?  If not how could you be sure the results are accurate based on another city.  Each city would not be comparable if not done the same way.  Most of the data collected in a specific area could be checked against history of the area to see how accurate it is or how much colder/warmer and area is or how much more or less precipitation has occurred to predict future events.