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Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Climate variability

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A Search For Average, Extremes, And Runs Of Unusual Weather In Iowa, R. E. Carlson, D. P. Todey Jan 1997

A Search For Average, Extremes, And Runs Of Unusual Weather In Iowa, R. E. Carlson, D. P. Todey

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Temperature and precipitation during the past decade have exhibited wide variation throughout Iowa. Is this unusual? An attempt was made to answer this question by computing various statistical parameters that characterize variation in Iowa's long term climatic record. Absolute deviations were used to identify the most and least variable months and years since 1900. Overall, 1936 with a very cold winter and very warm summer was the least normal year. Runs of daily weather showed that heat and cold stress could often persist for more than 1 month. Runs of dry days were much longer than runs of wet days. …


Analysis Of An Iowa Aridity Index In Relationship To Climate And Crop Yield, Soumare Harouna, R. E. Carlson Jan 1994

Analysis Of An Iowa Aridity Index In Relationship To Climate And Crop Yield, Soumare Harouna, R. E. Carlson

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

An aridity index and its components, temperature and precipitation, for the period from 1900 through April 1993 were defined and characterized. This index describes the anomalous behavior of both temperature and precipitation over time. Our intent was to examine climate variability in Iowa. Moving mean and standard deviations over various lengths of time were calculated from three time series. We found that these indices fluctuate considerably from year to year and from month to month. The lowest aridity index values occurred in the recent summer of 1992, and the highest occurred during the very drought-prone 1930s. The 12-month moving mean …


Iowa's Climate As Projected By The Global Climate Model Of The Goddard Institute For Space Studies For A Doubling Of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide, E. S. Takle, S. Zhong Jan 1991

Iowa's Climate As Projected By The Global Climate Model Of The Goddard Institute For Space Studies For A Doubling Of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide, E. S. Takle, S. Zhong

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Results of a global climate model that simulates climate under a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide (estimated to occur by the latter half of the twenty first century) have been interpolated to Iowa. Summer temperatures under such a doubling are projected to rise by 4 to 7°F (2.2 to 3.9°C) and winter temperatures by 10 to 11° (5.6 to 6.1°C). Estimates of space heating and cooling demands from these data suggest a 30 to 35% decrease in space heat demand and a 200 to 300% increase in space cooling demand. Temperature variability is projected to decrease. Precipitation estimates from global …


Climate Trends In Iowa, Richard E. Carlson Jan 1990

Climate Trends In Iowa, Richard E. Carlson

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Long-term trends for various weather elements are presented for the period 1900-1988. Summer and winter season, and annual air temperature patterns are statistically weak because of large inrerannual variability, but trends are evident. There was a general warming from 1900 until the 40's, with a leveling or slight cooling following. Since the mid-70's, a warming trend seems to be taking place, but this cannot be confirmed. Spring season air temperatures showed no trend except that the most recent 4 years (1985-1988) were decidedly warmer than normal. Winter season air temperatures showed a change in trend in the 30's, but the …