Temperature Analysis
Description
This tool analyzes daily temperature data to create time series of mean, minimum, or maximum temperatures or heating/cooling degree days. These analyses can be run for each julian day, during specific months, or during a specific range of months (e.g., seasonal, annual).
Discussion of the Output Data
If an analysis is performed during a range of months that encompass two years, then the year reported in the output file will be that associated with the end month (i.e., if the start month is December and the end month is February, then a mean temperature value associated with 1872 in the output file will be the mean temperature from December 1871-February 1872). Any missing data encountered by HOB Tools during any temperature analysis results in a flag (including error bars). The number of flags is reported in the output file, and any result other than zero should be checked to determine if the missing data impact the results. HOB Tools will also report “-99” for a particular month, season, or year if all data are missing, which prohibit any calculations. See "Mean Temperature", "Minimum Temperature", "Maximum Temperature", and "Heating/Cooling Degree Days" below for information about how error bars are calculated and output.
Temperature Input
Input File
Select the temperature data to analyze by clicking on "Browse" and navigating to the proper file.
Input Data Format
Year / Month / Day / Data
Each "/" is a tab (i.e., data should be tab-delimited). Missing Data should be denoted as "-99".
Start Row
This input is the row number where the main 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.
Temperature Units
Select the proper temperature units for the input data.
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
Mean
This analysis type is selected by default, and will calculate the mean temperature during the time period selected (see "Compute by Month" and "Compute by Range" below). If "Input Error Bars" selected under "Temperature Input" above, then input error values will be averaged just like the temperature values and output along with the temperature data.
Minimum
If selected, the tool will calculate the minimum temperature during the time period selected (see "Compute by Month" and "Compute by Range" below). If "Input Error Bars" selected under "Temperature Input" above, then the input error value associated with each minimum temperature will be output along with the temperature data.
Maximum
If selected, the tool will calculate the maximum temperature during the time period selected (see "Compute by Month" and "Compute by Range" below). If "Input Error Bars" selected under "Temperature Input" above, then the input error value associated with each maximum temperature will be output along with the temperature data.
Standard Deviation
If selected, the tool will calculate the standard deviation during the time period selected (see "Compute by Month" and "Compute by Range" below). If "Input Error Bars" selected under "Temperature Input" above, then the standard deviation of the input error values will be output along with the temperature data.
Heating/Cooling Degree Days
If selected, the tool will calculate the number of heating and cooling degree days during the time period selected (see "Compute by Month" and "Compute by Range" below). If "Input Error Bars" selected under "Temperature Input" above, then HOB Tools will create two time series to account for the error and run the heating/cooling degree day calculation on both to capture the true error associated with this calculation. The two additional time series are defined as follows:
High Error = Input Temperature Value + Input Error Value
Low Error = Input Temperature Value - Input Error Value
The output will then consist of the best estimates for the heating and cooling degree days along with the "Low Error" and "High Error" values associated with each estimate. These error bars may not be symmetric.
Base Temperature
If "Heating/Cooling Degree Days" is selected then this field will be enabled. This value is 18 by default (the heating and cooling degree day base temperature in °C), but it will need to be changed to 65 if heating and cooling degree days need to be calculated in °F.
Compute by Julian Date
This computation type is selected by default, and will calculate a mean, minimum, maximum, or standard deviation for each Julian day of the year. HOB Tools will ignore leap days by default (i.e., only Julian days from 1 to 365 will be output), but the user can check "Include Leap Days" to have the program include them in the analysis (i.e., Julian days from 1 to 366 will be output).
Compute by Month
This computation method 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.
Temperature 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.