Climate ChangeClimate ChangeHighlands, NCHighlands, NC

Jake Anderson, Lauren Davis, Dale Hammer, Jake Anderson, Lauren Davis, Dale Hammer, Bryce Koukopoulos, Mary Ellen Pearce, Bryce Koukopoulos, Mary Ellen Pearce,

Annual Average Temperature

y = 0.0262x + 54.189

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

1936

1939

1942

1945

1948

1951

1954

1957

1960

1963

1966

1969

1972

1975

1978

1981

1984

1987

1990

1993

1996

1999

2002

2005

2008

Year

Tem

pera

ture

(F)

Annual Temperature Annual Temperature

Annual Precipitation

y = 0.1258x + 78.285

58

68

78

88

98

108

118

1931

1934

1937

1940

1943

1946

1949

1952

1955

1958

1961

1964

1967

1970

1973

1977

1980

1983

1986

1989

1992

1995

1998

2001

Year

Prec

ipita

tion

(inch

es)

Annual PrecipitationAnnual Precipitation

Average January Temperatures from 1893-2009Average January Temperatures from 1893-2009

Average February Temperatures from 1893-2009Average February Temperatures from 1893-2009

Winter TemperatureWinter Temperature

Average January Temperatures from 1979-2009Average January Temperatures from 1979-2009

Average February Temperatures from 1979-2009Average February Temperatures from 1979-2009

Winter TemperatureWinter Temperature

Average January/February Temperatures from 1893-2009 Average January/February Temperatures from 1893-2009

Average January/February Temperatures from 1930-2009Average January/February Temperatures from 1930-2009

Winter TemperatureWinter Temperature

SnowfallSnowfall

Annual Snowfall with Linear Fit: Highlands, NC

SnowfallSnowfall

Annual Snowfall: 1980-2000

SnowfallSnowfall

Periodic Components of Annual Snowfall Periodic Fit to Annual Snowfall

SnowfallSnowfall

Linear Fit Periodic Fit

Average Maximum Temperature for June and July Average Maximum Temperature for June and July 1893 - 20081893 - 2008

Average Maximum Monthly Temperature for June and July 1893 - 2008

70

72

74

76

78

80

82

84

86

1893 1898 1903 1908 1913 1918 1923 1928 1933 1938 1943 1948 1953 1958 1963 1968 1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998 2003 2008

Year

Tem

pera

ture

(F)

Summer TemperatureSummer Temperature

Average Maximum Monthly Temperature for June and July 1978 - 2008

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008

Year

Tem

pera

ture

(F)Summer TemperatureSummer Temperature

Average Maximum Temperature for June and July Average Maximum Temperature for June and July 1978 - 20081978 - 2008

Summer PrecipitationSummer Precipitation

Summer PrecipitationSummer Precipitation

Last 30 year extremes A 1989 low T (73.75 oF) high P (16.55 in)B 1993 high T (80.4 oF) low P (3.28 in)

Last 10 year extremes C 2003 low T (74.95 oF) high P (11 in)D 2008 high T (80.5 oF) low P (2.26 in)

Average Maximum Monthly Temperature for June and July 1978 - 2008

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008

Year

Tem

pera

ture

(F)

Summer Precipitation vs. TemperatureSummer Precipitation vs. Temperature

AA

AA

BB

CC

DD

Trends observed

Overall precipitation and temperature Precipitation constantTemperature up

Winter temperature Long term decreaseShort term decrease

Snowfall Long term increase Short term decrease

Summer temperature Long term decreaseShort term decrease

Summer precipitation No significant change

Possible explanations explored in papers

Elevation Location between weather sources (West coast, Gulf of Mexico, East coast) Lee slope of Appalachians Station history