Cyclone Occurrence Mapping: Equal Area or Raw Frequencies?

Bruce P. Hayden Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesvile 22903

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Abstract

Meteorological data extracted from maps and charts is frequently normalized for area because grid cell size changes with latitude. Raw and area-normalized cyclone frequency data were compared. Area normalization deforms mean frequency patterns. The patterns of standard deviations about the mean are not deformed in the same way. Area normalization does not change calculated principal components or their time histories of weightings.

Abstract

Meteorological data extracted from maps and charts is frequently normalized for area because grid cell size changes with latitude. Raw and area-normalized cyclone frequency data were compared. Area normalization deforms mean frequency patterns. The patterns of standard deviations about the mean are not deformed in the same way. Area normalization does not change calculated principal components or their time histories of weightings.

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