Cold and Hot Periods Associated with Dry Conditions over the Canadian Prairies

Figures & data

Fig. 1 The study area used in this investigation.

Fig. 2 Monthly temperature anomaly percentiles from 1900–2009 over the Prairie study region. The percentiles are shown in brackets for the temperature anomaly dry periods.

Fig. 3 Occurrence of temperature anomalies associated with dry periods over the 1900–2009 record.

Fig. 4 The timing of 1-month temperature anomaly dry periods over the 1900–2009 record. The horizontal axis shows the month of the year.

Fig. 5 Distribution of 1-month temperature anomaly dry periods over the 1900–2009 record.

Fig. 6 Decadal summary of 1-month temperature anomaly dry periods over the 1900–2009 record.

Fig. 7 Plots of 850 hPa geopotential height composite mean and anomalies for identified temperature anomaly dry periods occurring since 1948. (a) very cold dry conditions, (b) cold conditions, (c) hot conditions, and (d) very hot conditions. Plots were provided by NOAA (2011b).

Fig. 8 Wind rose at 850 hPa during a) a very cold drought period in March 1989 and b) a very hot drought period in January 2006.

Fig. 9 Precipitable water anomaly as a function of air temperature anomaly at 850 hPa over Stony Plain for the temperature anomaly dry periods occurring during 1966 and up to 2009.

NOAA . (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). 2011b Daily Mean Composites [Data]. Retrieved from the website of the Physical Sciences Division (PSD): http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/data/composites/day/

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