Climatic trends in major U.S. urban areas, 1950-2009

Vimal Mishra, Dennis P. Lettenmaier
2011 Geophysical Research Letters  
1] We evaluate changes in climatic indices for the 100 largest U.S. urban areas and paired surrounding non-urban areas. During the period 1950-2009, we find that there were statistically significant changes in as many as half of the urban areas in temperature-related indices, such as heating and cooling degree-days and number of warm and cool nights, almost all of which are reflective of a general warming. Similarly, statistically significant changes (mostly increases) in indices related to
more » ... eme precipitation, such as daily maximum intensities and number of days with heavy precipitation, were detected in as many of 30% of the urban areas. A paired analysis of urban and surrounding non-urban areas suggests that most temperature-related trends are attributable to regional climate change, rather than to local effects of urbanization, although the picture is more mixed for precipitation. Citation: Mishra, V., and D. P.
doi:10.1029/2011gl048255 fatcat:vlb7dq32mbd5vfbrdaguj7nlle