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Climatic Factors Associated with the Rapid Wintertime Increase in Cloud Cover across the Great Lakes Region

Kline, Wayne T.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1240256371

Abstract Details

2009, MA, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Geography.
The Great Lakes Region of the United States is an area of great climatic diversity. Research analyzing diurnal temperature range (DTR) has noted that in late autumn and early winter an abrupt decrease in the mean temperature range for stations near the Great Lakes occurs. Reasons for this rapid change are likely related to cloud cover amounts and frequencies of specific weather-types. In this thesis, temporal trends and correlations of several weather variables were conducted to assist in the explanation of the rapid change in the region’s climate. This variability was then correlated to the teleconnection phases of PNA (Pacific/North American) and NAO (North Atlantic Oscillation). Through statistical and spatial analysis of 54 first order weather stations it was found that the timing and magnitude of breakpoints in DTR, cloud cover, and MP (moist polar weather-type) were the most significantly related. The breakpoint for DTR decrease and cloud cover (CC) increase occurs in early November in the east and late October in the west, generally seen with increased MP frequency as well. DTR breakpoint occurs on the same day, typically in late October to early November, or a few days after CC while MP is typically a few weeks after DTR. Changes in the magnitude of the breakpoint, relative to teleconnection phase, were much more significant than the timing of the breakpoint. PNA phase demonstrated greater and stronger influence on the western Great Lakes Region while NAO on the eastern and strong lake-effect areas.
Scott Sheridan, PhD (Advisor)
Thomas Schmidlin, PhD (Committee Member)
Donna Witter, PhD (Committee Member)
163 p.
Atmosphere; Earth; Geography
Great Lakes; Climate Variability; Trends; Cloud Cover; Diurnal Temperature Range; Spatial Synoptic Classification; Weather-Types; Teleconnections; Pacific/North American; North Atlantic Oscillation; Climatology; Geography

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Kline, W. T. (2009). Climatic Factors Associated with the Rapid Wintertime Increase in Cloud Cover across the Great Lakes Region [Master's thesis, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1240256371

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Kline, Wayne. Climatic Factors Associated with the Rapid Wintertime Increase in Cloud Cover across the Great Lakes Region. 2009. Kent State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1240256371.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Kline, Wayne. "Climatic Factors Associated with the Rapid Wintertime Increase in Cloud Cover across the Great Lakes Region." Master's thesis, Kent State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1240256371

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

kent1240256371
346
© 2009, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.