Climate Change Chart of Salt Lake City, USA

Overview of climate changes

Temperature changes

Averaged across calendar months, the difference in monthly mean temperature was +2.77 °C compared with the earlier reference period; this is an unweighted summary of monthly means, not a day-weighted annual average or a measure of daytime maximum temperatures. The largest monthly increase was in March, at a difference of +6.44 °C. By contrast, October had the largest monthly decrease, with a difference of -0.21 °C. These monthly contrasts show that the aggregate increase did not apply evenly across months.

Changes in snowfall

Mean daily snowfall averaged across calendar months had a difference of -0.46 mm/day in the more recent period. This unweighted summary of monthly means is not a day-weighted annual average, and the figures describe daily amounts rather than monthly totals. The largest monthly increase was in January, with a difference of +0.91 mm/day, while November saw the largest monthly decrease, at a difference of -2.83 mm/day. These opposing monthly differences show why the average change should not be read as a uniform shift across months.

Changes in rainfall

Mean daily rainfall averaged across calendar months showed a difference of +0.11 mm/day in the more recent period; this unweighted summary is not a day-weighted annual average, and the values describe daily means rather than monthly totals. The largest monthly increase occurred in March, with a difference of +0.71 mm/day, while June recorded the largest monthly decrease, at a difference of -1.13 mm/day. The small aggregate increase therefore does not describe the direction of change in every month.

Changes in sunshine duration

Mean daily sunshine duration, averaged across calendar months, had a difference of -0.38 hours/day compared with the earlier period. This is an unweighted summary of monthly means, not a day-weighted annual average. The largest monthly decrease was in April, with a difference of -0.71 hours/day; that monthly result is distinct from the across-month average and does not establish the same decrease in every month.