Cold Wave Analysis

Description

This tool calculates the frequency of cold waves from daily temperature data and a daily temperature depression input by the user. The analysis can be done per month or across a range months (i.e., during the winter season only).

Input

Input File
Select the temperature data clicking on "Browse" and navigating to the proper file.

Start Row
This input is the row number where the temperature data to be processed begin in the input file selected above. An example of how row numbers are entered is shown in Figure 2 located in the Running HOB Tools topic.

Data Column Number
This input is the column number where the temperature data are located in the input file selected above. An example of how column numbers are entered is shown in Figure 2 located in the Running HOB Tools topic.

Input Error Bars
Place a check in the box to include +/- error bars in the conversion. It is expected that this error encompasses only one column and is symmetrical about the temperature value (i.e., an error value of 1.5 means +/- 1.5).

Error Column Number
If "Input Error Bars" is checked, then this field will be enabled. This input is the column number where the +/- error bars are located in the input file selected above. An example of how column numbers are entered is shown in Figure 2 located in the Running HOB Tools topic.

Analysis Type

Temperature Change
Enter a temperture depression threshold value or percentile that will be used to total the number of cold waves. All percentiles are calculated relative to the entire period of record input into HOB Tools. A temperature depression is the change in temperature from one day to the next. Values entered here should be positive.

Compute by Month
This computation type is selected by default, and will perform the analysis by months that are checked by the user. If "Jan" and "Feb" are checked, then the analysis will be run twice--once for January data and once for February data.

Compute by Range
Selecting this computation type will enable the "Start Month" and "End Month" fields, which will allow for the analysis to be performed across a range of months (e.g., seasonal, annual). For example, to analyze Northern Hemispheric winter, select "December" as the start month and "February" as the end month.

Output

Output File
Select the file where the numerical results will be stored.

Output File Header
Information entered here will be output in the first line of the output file.