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Temperature Changes in the United StatesTemperature is among the most important climatic elements used in decision-making. For example, builders and insurers use temperature data for planning and risk management while energy companies and regulators use temperature data to predict demand and set utility rates. Temperature is also a key indicator of climate change: recent increases are apparent over the land, ocean, and troposphere, and substantial changes are expected for this century. This chapter summarizes the major observed and projected changes in near-surface air temperature over the United States, emphasizing new data sets and model projections since the Third National Climate Assessment (NCA3). Changes are depicted using a spectrum of observations, including surface weather stations, moored ocean buoys, polar-orbiting satellites, and temperature-sensitive proxies. Projections are based on global models and downscaled products from CMIP5 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5) using a suite of Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs; see Ch. 4: Projections for more on RCPs and future scenarios).
Document ID
20180001314
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Book Chapter
External Source(s)
Authors
Vose, R. S.
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Highlands, NJ, United States)
Easterling, D. R.
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Highlands, NJ, United States)
Kunkel, K. E.
(North Carolina State Univ. Raleigh, NC, United States)
LeGrande, A. N.
(NASA Goddard Inst. for Space Studies New York, NY, United States)
Wehner, M. F.
(California Univ., Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
February 20, 2018
Publication Date
January 1, 2017
Publication Information
Publication: Climate Science Special Report: Fourth National Climate Assessment
Publisher: U.S. Global Change Research Program
Volume: 1
Subject Category
Geosciences (General)
Earth Resources And Remote Sensing
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN49028
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Use by or on behalf of the US Gov. Permitted.
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