Carolina’s Climate Report Card:

Understanding Climate Trends and Variability

Hope Mizzell, Ph.D.

SC State Climatology Office

Topics to be Discussed:

- NOAA’s US Historical Climate Network, 1901-2010 - Longest period of record, least amount of missing data and station moves -Least squares regression for trend - NOAA’s Cooperative Observation Network, 1900-2011 -Threshold parameters (i.e temp. <=32 F)

- NOAA’s Storm Prediction Ct.’s Severe Wx. Database, 1950-2009 -NC Tornado Statistics Web Page -NOAA’s National Hurricane Center Database, 1854-2013 -NC Hurricane Statistics Web Page

Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Trends

Threshold Parameters and Moving Averages

Tornado Climatology

Hurricane Landfalls

Is the Carolinas Getting Warmer or Colder?

Southeast Annual Maximum Temperature 1901-2010

*NOAA’s US Historical Climate Network

Southeast Annual Minimum Temperature 1901-2010

*NOAA’s US Historical Climate Network

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Tem

pe

ratu

re (

F)SC Annual Temperature Trend: 1895-2010

10 yr moving average Linear trend

NC Annual Temperature Trend: 1895-2007

Temperature Trends: NC vs Global

Winter Minimum Temperature 1901-2010

Winter Maximum Temperature 1901-2010

Number of Days Min Temperature ≤ 32°F

Spring Maximum Temperature

1901-2010 Spring Minimum Temperature

1901-2010

Summer Maximum Temperature 1901-2010

Summer Minimum Temperature 1901-2010

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mp

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SC's Summer Average Temperature Departure from Normal

1895-2011

10 yr moving average Linear trend

1930-2010

1962-2010

Fall Maximum Temperature 1901-2010

Fall Minimum Temperature 1901-2010

Is it Wetter or Drier?

Southeast Average Annual Precipitation Trends 1901-2010

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Pre

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(in

che

s)SC Annual Precipitation Trend: 1895-2010

Wettest

Driest

10 yr moving average Linear trend

NC Annual Precipitation Trend: 1895-2007

Summer Precipitation 1901-2010

Spring Precipitation 1901-2010

Winter Precipitation 1901-2010

Fall Precipitation 1901-2010

http://www.dnr.sc.gov/

http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/severeweathertornado

Doppler Radar

http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/severeweathertornado

http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/climate/hurricanes/statistics.php

http://www.dnr.sc.gov/

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Number of US Hurricane Landfalls* by Year

http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/All_U.S._Hurricanes.html

Hurricane Landfall Statistics (1851 - 2013)

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Impact of Hurricanes on SC Based on Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale

Hazel

Cindy

Charley

Gaston

Gracie

Hugo

Total Hurricanes Affecting NC and SC by Decade Within 50 Miles (1851 - 2013)

NC SC

Thank you

Hope Mizzell, Ph.D. SC State Climatologist

SC Department of Natural Resources

http://www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sco/

http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/