Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Observed Trends in Indices of Daily Temperature Extremes in South America 1960–2000

L. A. Vincent Meteorological Service of Canada, Downsview, Ontario, Canada

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T. C. Peterson NOAA/National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, North Carolina

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V. R. Barros Departamento de Ciencias de la Atmósfera y los Oceanos, FCEN, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

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M. B. Marino Banco Nacional de Datos, Servicio Meteorológico Nacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina

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M. Rusticucci Departamento de Ciencias de la Atmósfera y los Oceanos, FCEN, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

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G. Carrasco Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología, La Paz, Bolivia

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E. Ramirez Instituto de Hidráulica e Hidrológica UMSA, San Andres, Bolivia

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L. M. Alves Centro de Previsão de Tempo e Estudos Climáticos, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, Cachoeira Paulista, Brazil

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T. Ambrizzi Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil

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M. A. Berlato Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Port Alegre, Brazil

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A. M. Grimm Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil

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J. A. Marengo Centro de Previsão de Tempo e Estudos Climáticos, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, Cachoeira Paulista, Brazil

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L. Molion Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil

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D. F. Moncunill Fundação Cearense de Meteorologia e Recursos Hídricos (FUNCEME), Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil

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E. Rebello Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET), Brasilia, Brazil

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Y. M. T. Anunciação Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET), Brasilia, Brazil

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J. Quintana Dirección Meteorológica de Chile, Santiago, Chile

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J. L. Santos Faculty of Marine Sciences, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Quito, Ecuador

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J. Baez Dirección Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología (DINAC), Luque, Paraguay

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G. Coronel Universidad Nacional de Asunción, San Lorenzo, Paraguay

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J. Garcia Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, La Molina, Lima, Peru

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I. Trebejo Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología, Lima, Peru

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M. Bidegain Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay

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M. R. Haylock Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia, East Anglia, United Kingdom

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D. Karoly University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma

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Print Publication:
01 Dec 2005
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI3589.1
Page(s):
5011–5023
Article comments
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Abstract

A workshop on enhancing climate change indices in South America was held in Maceió, Brazil, in August 2004. Scientists from eight southern countries brought daily climatological data from their region for a meticulous assessment of data quality and homogeneity, and for the preparation of climate change indices that can be used for analyses of changes in climate extremes. This study presents an examination of the trends over 1960–2000 in the indices of daily temperature extremes. The results indicate no consistent changes in the indices based on daily maximum temperature while significant trends were found in the indices based on daily minimum temperature. Significant increasing trends in the percentage of warm nights and decreasing trends in the percentage of cold nights were observed at many stations. It seems that this warming is mostly due to more warm nights and fewer cold nights during the summer (December–February) and fall (March–May). The stations with significant trends appear to be located closer to the west and east coasts of South America.

Corresponding author address: Lucie A. Vincent, Meteorological Service of Canada, 4905 Dufferin St., Downsview, ON M3H 5T4, Canada. Email: Lucie.Vincent@ec.gc.ca

Abstract

A workshop on enhancing climate change indices in South America was held in Maceió, Brazil, in August 2004. Scientists from eight southern countries brought daily climatological data from their region for a meticulous assessment of data quality and homogeneity, and for the preparation of climate change indices that can be used for analyses of changes in climate extremes. This study presents an examination of the trends over 1960–2000 in the indices of daily temperature extremes. The results indicate no consistent changes in the indices based on daily maximum temperature while significant trends were found in the indices based on daily minimum temperature. Significant increasing trends in the percentage of warm nights and decreasing trends in the percentage of cold nights were observed at many stations. It seems that this warming is mostly due to more warm nights and fewer cold nights during the summer (December–February) and fall (March–May). The stations with significant trends appear to be located closer to the west and east coasts of South America.

Corresponding author address: Lucie A. Vincent, Meteorological Service of Canada, 4905 Dufferin St., Downsview, ON M3H 5T4, Canada. Email: Lucie.Vincent@ec.gc.ca

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