7/24/2023 0 Comments Current rainfall totalsHistorically unprecedented warming is projected during this century. Observed temperatures are generally within the envelope of model simulations of the historical period (gray shading). Shading indicates the range of annual temperatures from the set of models. Temperatures in Tennessee (orange line) have risen by 0.5☏ since the beginning of the 20th century, less than a third of the warming for the contiguous United States, but the warmest consecutive 5-year interval was the most recent, 2016–2020. Projected changes for 2015–2100 are from global climate models for two possible futures: one in which greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase (higher emissions) and another in which greenhouse gas emissions increase at a slower rate (lower emissions). Historical observed extreme temperatures for the state range from −32☏ in Mountain City in the winter of 1917 to 113☏ in Perryville in the summer of 1930.įigure 1: Observed and projected changes (compared to the 1901–1960 average) in near-surface air temperature for Tennessee. Average high temperatures in the summer vary between 85☏ and 90☏ in western and central Tennessee and between 80☏ and 85☏ in the eastern portion of the state. Average (1991–2020 normals) minimum temperatures in January range from 22☏ in Mountain City to 33☏ in Memphis. The higher elevations of the state, such as the Cumberland Plateau (average elevation of 2,000 feet) and the Smoky Mountains (peaks up to 6,000 feet), have noticeably lower average temperatures compared to the Great Valley of East Tennessee (slopes from 1,500 feet in the north to 700 feet in the south). Temperatures decrease across the state as elevation increases, averaging a 3☏ decline per 1,000 feet increase in elevation. For most of the state, summers are warm and humid, while winters are cool with occasional episodes of very cold arctic air. Its climate is characterized by moderately large variations in temperature and abundant precipitation. Tennessee’s central location in the southeast exposes it to warm and humid air from the Gulf of Mexico and hot and cold air masses from the interior of North America.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |