Precipitation and Temperature Trends and Cycles Derived from Historical 1890–2019 Weather Data for the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Patterns in historical climate data were analyzed for Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, for the interval 1890–2019. Variables analyzed included records of annual, seasonal, and extreme temperature and precipitation, diurnal temperature range, and various environmental responses. Using LOWESS regressions, it...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Environments |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/9/3/35 |
| _version_ | 1797446543110832128 |
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| author | Carling Ruth Walsh R. Timothy Patterson |
| author_facet | Carling Ruth Walsh R. Timothy Patterson |
| author_sort | Carling Ruth Walsh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Patterns in historical climate data were analyzed for Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, for the interval 1890–2019. Variables analyzed included records of annual, seasonal, and extreme temperature and precipitation, diurnal temperature range, and various environmental responses. Using LOWESS regressions, it was found that annual and seasonal temperatures in Ottawa have generally increased through this interval, precipitation has shifted to a less snowy, rainier regime, and diurnal temperature variation has decreased. Furthermore, the annual growing season has lengthened by 23 days to ~163 days, and the annual number of frost-free days increased by 13 days to ~215 days. Despite these substantial climatic shifts, some variables (e.g., extreme weather events per year) have remained largely stable through the interval. Time-series analyses (including multitaper spectral analysis and continuous and cross wavelet transforms) have revealed the presence of several strong cyclical patterns in the instrumental record attributable to known natural climate phenomena. The strongest such influence on Ottawa’s climate has been the 11-year solar cycle, while the influence of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, Arctic Oscillation, North Atlantic Oscillation, and Quasi-Biennial Oscillation were also observed and linked with the trends in annual, seasonal, and extreme weather. The results of this study, particularly the observed linkages between temperature and precipitation variables and cyclic climate drivers, will be of considerable use to policymakers for the planning, development, and maintenance of city infrastructure as Ottawa continues to rapidly grow under a warmer, wetter climate regime. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:42:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-21c6b7e255334103b995b70d126c8959 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3298 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:42:59Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environments |
| spelling | doaj.art-21c6b7e255334103b995b70d126c89592023-11-30T21:04:27ZengMDPI AGEnvironments2076-32982022-03-01933510.3390/environments9030035Precipitation and Temperature Trends and Cycles Derived from Historical 1890–2019 Weather Data for the City of Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaCarling Ruth Walsh0R. Timothy Patterson1Ottawa Carleton Geoscience Center and Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, CanadaOttawa Carleton Geoscience Center and Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, CanadaPatterns in historical climate data were analyzed for Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, for the interval 1890–2019. Variables analyzed included records of annual, seasonal, and extreme temperature and precipitation, diurnal temperature range, and various environmental responses. Using LOWESS regressions, it was found that annual and seasonal temperatures in Ottawa have generally increased through this interval, precipitation has shifted to a less snowy, rainier regime, and diurnal temperature variation has decreased. Furthermore, the annual growing season has lengthened by 23 days to ~163 days, and the annual number of frost-free days increased by 13 days to ~215 days. Despite these substantial climatic shifts, some variables (e.g., extreme weather events per year) have remained largely stable through the interval. Time-series analyses (including multitaper spectral analysis and continuous and cross wavelet transforms) have revealed the presence of several strong cyclical patterns in the instrumental record attributable to known natural climate phenomena. The strongest such influence on Ottawa’s climate has been the 11-year solar cycle, while the influence of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, Arctic Oscillation, North Atlantic Oscillation, and Quasi-Biennial Oscillation were also observed and linked with the trends in annual, seasonal, and extreme weather. The results of this study, particularly the observed linkages between temperature and precipitation variables and cyclic climate drivers, will be of considerable use to policymakers for the planning, development, and maintenance of city infrastructure as Ottawa continues to rapidly grow under a warmer, wetter climate regime.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/9/3/35climate changeclimate teleconnectionstime series analysishistorical temperature precipitation |
| spellingShingle | Carling Ruth Walsh R. Timothy Patterson Precipitation and Temperature Trends and Cycles Derived from Historical 1890–2019 Weather Data for the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Environments climate change climate teleconnections time series analysis historical temperature precipitation |
| title | Precipitation and Temperature Trends and Cycles Derived from Historical 1890–2019 Weather Data for the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| title_full | Precipitation and Temperature Trends and Cycles Derived from Historical 1890–2019 Weather Data for the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| title_fullStr | Precipitation and Temperature Trends and Cycles Derived from Historical 1890–2019 Weather Data for the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| title_full_unstemmed | Precipitation and Temperature Trends and Cycles Derived from Historical 1890–2019 Weather Data for the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| title_short | Precipitation and Temperature Trends and Cycles Derived from Historical 1890–2019 Weather Data for the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| title_sort | precipitation and temperature trends and cycles derived from historical 1890 2019 weather data for the city of ottawa ontario canada |
| topic | climate change climate teleconnections time series analysis historical temperature precipitation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/9/3/35 |
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