United States' Climate Becoming More Conducive to Successful Agriculture

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The name of the paper is Trends in Extreme United States Temperatures and it is published in "Journal of Climate." The paper reports temperatures are becoming less extreme. And, even better, with a warming trend in nighttime temperatures, the growing season is longer and agricultural productivity increases. The paper goes on to state,

The results show that monthly maximum temperatures are not often greatly changing — perhaps surprisingly, there are many stations that show some cooling. In contrast, the minimum temperatures show significant warming.

Via Anthony Watts, link below
AccuWeather's Steve Pryor and I have found exactly the same trends in Kansas. Our data also indicates precipitation, over all, is becoming more reliable. Anthony Watts has more, here.

To those of us who are actually looking at the science, none of this is a surprise. To summarize global warming in the United States so far: Fewer hurricanes, fewer violent tornadoes, less extreme temperatures and a longer growing season. What's not to like?

Comments

  1. BrianMarch 26, 2014 at 4:36 PM

    FINALLY. Data that supports the actual human effect on climate - in terms of temperatures.

    More irrigation out West = increased humidity = increased overnight lows but no change to max temps.

    More concrete = increased overnight lows but minimal change to max temps.

    If you increase your min and don't change your max, of course the average goes up.

    Still waiting for that elusive definition of 'normal'.

    ReplyDelete

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