Abstract
The variability of mean monthly temperatures in the United States since 1896 is examined. The results show that the interannual variability reached a peak in the decade centered on 1930 and decreased fairly steadily to a minimum in the decade centered on 1970. This temporal trend is almost completely explained by changes in the variability of winter (December, January, February) mean monthly temperatures. The greatest percent decrease in variability occurred in the Midwest.
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The authors are indebted to the Tree Ring Laboratory of the University of Arizona for the loan of these data.
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This research was funded by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. ATM75-19742 A02.
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Chico, T., Sellers, W.D. Interannual temperature variability in the United States since 1896. Climatic Change 2, 139–147 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00133220
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00133220