Introduction
This website began as a personal project to analyze climate trends in Denver, Colorado, where I live. I wanted to understand how global warming was affecting my local area.
After creating the initial Denver climate analysis, I became interested in expanding the project to other regions of the country to compare how different areas are experiencing climate change. This led to the creation of the Phoenix climate analysis section, which uses data from the Sky Harbor International Airport weather station.
The data for this analysis comes from two primary sources: the National Weather Service (NWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). We use data from 1948 to the present, with the 30 year windows making up the "normal" climate baseline. This is why our plots and statistics begin in 1968, allowing us to compare current conditions against this established baseline.
I found that many climate websites focus on either current weather or future projections, but there were fewer resources showing clear, easy-to-understand visualizations of historical climate trends. By creating these visualizations, I hope to make climate data more accessible and help people understand how their local climate is changing over time.
Temperature Trends in Phoenix
Average yearly temperatures in Phoenix over the past several decades:
The data reveals a significant warming trend in Phoenix's hot desert climate. While the city is known for its extreme summer temperatures, the overall trajectory shows a clear increase in average temperatures over time. The plot includes a linear fit for all years from 1948 to present and also includes a linear fit for the last 60 years, showing the temperature trend in degrees per year. These rising temperatures have important implications for Phoenix's urban heat island effect, water resources, and public health, potentially leading to more frequent and intense heat waves and increased cooling demands in one of the hottest major cities in the United States.
Precipitation Trends in Phoenix
Total yearly precipitation in Phoenix over the past several decades:
Phoenix's precipitation patterns show interesting variations over time. The city's desert climate means most rainfall occurs during the summer monsoon season, with relatively dry conditions throughout the rest of the year. The yearly totals can vary significantly, with some years experiencing drought conditions while others see above-average rainfall during the monsoon season. This variability is particularly important for the Salt River watershed and the region's water management system. The data helps us understand how climate change might be affecting the region's characteristic precipitation patterns and what that means for the future of water resources in this rapidly growing desert city.