Abstract

Using ArcGIS to Analyze Climate Patterns and Climate Change
Track: Climate, Weather, and Atmosphere
Author(s): Helen Cox

A VBA module was programmed in ArcGIS to map weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Climate Data Center. A series of tools have been developed to allow for visual presentation of climate data including the display of individual station data and the display of geographic patterns using interpolation. Monthly, seasonal and annual data are mapped and used in statistical analyses to examine climate change. In particular, time series of data from individual stations are displayed and analyzed for signals of global warming. Temperature and precipitation anomalies relative to a long-term mean are calculated and used to investigate the roles of El Nino and La Nina in determining weather across the country. Temperature anomalies are also applied to global warming investigations to examine the geographic pattern of warming and to investigate the urban heat island effect.

Helen Cox
California State University, Northridge
Geography Department
18111 Nordhoff St
Northridge , California 91330-8249
United States
Phone: 818 677-3512
E-mail: helen.m.cox@csun.edu