Abrupt changes in regional temperature in the conterminous United States, 1895-1989

Abstract

In this study, the Lepage test, a nonparametric 2-sample test, was used to statistically analyze annual and seasonal temperatures for the 344 climate divisions in the conterminous US for the years 1895 through 1989. The analysis indicated that abrupt and significant changes in annual and seasonal temperatures occurred near 1930 and 1958, and that these changes occurred over large parts of the conterminous US. Other significant and abrupt changes in seasonal temperatures occurred during the summer near 1917 and 1943, and during the autumn near 1948 and 1964. Temperatures during the summer season exhibited the most frequent and widespread significant changes. -from Authors