(a) Plot a combined rainfall and temperature graph for Station X (b) Calculate the (i) annual temperature range (ii) mean annual temperature for the station...
Question 1 Report
(a) Plot a combined rainfall and temperature graph for Station X
(b) Calculate the (i) annual temperature range (ii) mean annual temperature for the station
(c) What climatic type does the station represent?
Answer Details
(a) Combined rainfall and temperature graph for Station X
The monthly figures for the station are set out below. Temperature is plotted on the left-hand vertical axis as points joined by a smooth curve; rainfall is plotted on the right-hand vertical axis as vertical bars, one for each month.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Temp (\(^{\circ}\)C) | 21 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 20 |
| Rainfall (mm) | 5 | 8 | 20 | 45 | 80 | 110 | 105 | 90 | 60 | 35 | 15 | 8 |
The completed climate graph is shown below.
(b) Calculations
(i) Annual temperature range = temperature of the hottest month minus temperature of the coldest month:
\[ \text{Range} = 21^{\circ}\text{C} - 12^{\circ}\text{C} = 9^{\circ}\text{C}. \](ii) Mean annual temperature = sum of the twelve monthly temperatures divided by 12:
\[ \bar{T} = \frac{21+21+20+17+15+12+12+13+14+18+18+20}{12} = \frac{201}{12} = 16.8^{\circ}\text{C}. \](c) Climatic type
The station has a small annual temperature range (9\(^{\circ}\)C) with warmth throughout the year, and its highest temperatures (Dec-Feb) fall in the driest months while the heaviest rain (Jun-Aug) comes in the cooler months. Hot, dry summers combined with mild, wet winters identify the station as a Mediterranean (warm temperate western margin) climate. Because the hot dry season occurs in December-February, the station lies in the Southern Hemisphere.
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