Climate Change Chart of Wainwright, Alaska, USA

Overview of climate changes

Temperature changes

Across calendar months, the unweighted mean difference in monthly mean temperature was an increase of +3.78 °C compared with the earlier reference period. This summarizes the monthly means; it is not a day-weighted annual average or a description of daytime maximum temperatures. The largest monthly increase was in November, where monthly mean temperature showed a difference of +7.06 °C. That marks a particularly pronounced month-to-month-period contrast, not a continuous change through time.

Changes in snowfall

Across calendar months, the unweighted mean difference in mean daily snowfall was an increase of +0.23 mm/day. This describes the aggregate of monthly means, not a day-weighted annual average, and the measure is a daily mean rather than a monthly total. The largest monthly increase in mean daily snowfall occurred in November, with a difference of +1.69 mm/day. The largest monthly decrease was in August, at a difference of -1.76 mm/day, showing that the month-specific differences did not all point in the same direction.

Changes in sunshine duration

The unweighted mean difference in daily sunshine duration across calendar months was a decrease of -0.04 hours/day. It summarizes monthly mean daily hours, rather than a day-weighted annual figure or a uniform change in every month. The largest monthly increase in mean daily sunshine duration was in June, at a difference of +1.45 hours/day. In contrast, the largest monthly decrease was in March, with a difference of -1.24 hours/day; the opposing monthly contrasts sit alongside the small overall mean decrease.

Changes in rainfall

Averaged across calendar months, mean daily rainfall had an unweighted increase of +0.12 mm/day compared with the earlier reference period; this is a summary of monthly means, not a day-weighted annual average. The measure is a daily mean rather than a monthly rainfall total. The largest monthly increase in mean daily rainfall occurred in July, with a difference of +0.49 mm/day. This identifies the strongest supplied monthly contrast, without implying that rainfall increased in every month.