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Boone, NC

Boone, NC. April 23, 2009 Geography 414 Group 3. Laura Beth Adams- Average Temperature Alec Hoffman – Daily Temperature Range Jill Simmerman - Maximum Temperature Knox Coleman– Minimum Temperature Austin Milt- Freezing Days. Station Information . The Change: Station 1: 1929- May 1980

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Boone, NC

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  1. Boone, NC April 23, 2009 Geography 414 Group 3 • Laura Beth Adams- Average Temperature • Alec Hoffman – Daily Temperature Range • Jill Simmerman- Maximum Temperature • Knox Coleman– Minimum Temperature • Austin Milt- Freezing Days

  2. Station Information • The Change: • Station 1: 1929- May 1980 • Station 2: June 1980- current • Effects of the Change: • Change in observation of valley winds which tend to keep temperatures depressed. • Change in local surroundings of the station effects amount of daily shade and full sun time which effects latent heat and ground heat flow.

  3. Average Temperature Laura Beth Adams

  4. What is Changing? • Slight changes after the station move • Changes are not consistent month to month • Why the Change (or the lack thereof)? • Station change • Pre-1980 highs and lows getting closer together • Post-1980 highs and lows getting further apart

  5. Temperature Range Alec Hoffman

  6. Daily Temperature Range • Given as the greatest single day range per month • Since change, 1980, range has increased for all seasons • Greatest increase is during summer and least is during winter • Greatest variability during 30’s and 40’s Possible Reasons: • Change in land cover • Changing station location (elevation and surrounding environment • Change in cloud cover • Different moisture levels • Change in solar intensity

  7. Maximum Temperature Jill Simmerman

  8. Average Maximum Annual Temperature Overall Trends • What is changing? • Overall there is a decrease in annual temperature of -0.03°F/year • Investigated using 5 year moving average results in distinctive nearly 20 year cycles of heating then cooling. • Why the change? • This change could be due to a cycling of increased and decreased cloud cover. But that is highly unlikely (See Alec’s data). • Change in the maturity of the surrounding area of the station could result in a pattern such as this one.

  9. Average Maximum Annual Temperature Trends Based on Station Relocation • What is changing? • Before the 1980 move we were noticing a temperature reduction of -0.06°F/year. • Since the move there is an increase in temperature of 0.04°F/year. • Why the change? • The station moved from the interior of a valley to the top of a mountain. • Valley winds tend to move cool air from the top of the mountain to the valley, therefore keeping the valley at a generally cooler temperature.

  10. Minimum Temperature Knox Coleman

  11. Minimum Temperature

  12. Minimum Temperature • The average annual minimum temperature has been decreasing in Boone. This occurs at both the pre 1980 site and post 1980 site. • Periods of incline and decline of average minimum temperature • There has been an increase in number of days below freezing • But there has been a decrease in the number of days below 0 Possible Causes: • Change in snow cover due to the lower temperatures • Variations in the land and roughness around Boone • Change of the Station in elevation and location

  13. Days Below Freezing Austin Milt

  14. Days with temperatures below freezing (<32°F) (5 yr moving average) • What is changing? • From 1997 – 2008, more days with freezing temperatures • Lack of change in Avg and Max temps indicates a move towards colder nights instead of an overall temperature drop • Why the change? • Less heat retention at night due to daytime H + LE ↑; cloud cover ↓; soil moisture ↓ • Station change

  15. Evidence of station change effect on freezing days

  16. Freezing days summary • Conclusions • Pre-80’ Boone • high variability in number of freezing days, but little change in mean • valley location may mask long-term variability • Post-80’ Boone • colder nights, more frosts, general unpleasantness • Shorter growing season • Record at new station too short to conclude if trends are due to station move or actual climate changes (other data supports station move as cause) • Pre-80’ • Largest trend and least variability in Avg • Little overall trend • Post-80’ • Largest trend and least variability in Min • Strong trend in Min • Combined • Largest trend and least variability in Avg • Little overall trend

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