Climatic Trends

Miyako, Japan & Minneapolis, USA

By: Mary MacDonald

GNM 3204-001
Dr. Joseph Trout

Table of Contents

I.

Location: Miyako, Japan......................................................................................................3

II.

Miyakos Climate...................................................................................................................4

III.

Miyakos 30 year Average Temperature Trends...5

IV.

Climate Trends for Miyako, Japan..6

V.

Location: Minneapolis, USA.7

VI.

Minneapolis Climate.8

VII.

Minneapolis 30 year Average Temperature Trends..9

VIII.

Climate Trends for Minneapolis, USA10

IX.

Conclusion...11

X.

Resources..12

I.

Location: Miyako, Japan

Miyako is a city located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. Prefectures are Japans established
jurisdictions and administrative districts. Iwate is Japans second largest prefecture. The city has
an estimated population of 56,300 and has a total area of 1,259.89 km2.3 The Pacific ocean
boarders the city to the east and the Hei River cuts through the city making its way to Miyako
Bay.3 Most of Iwate is mountainous, encompassing the Ou Mountains on the west and the
Kitakami Highlands in the east.4 Miyako is located to the east of the Kitakami Highlands along
the pacific coast. These physiographic features of the prefecture effect the type and severity of
the weather that the city of Miyako is likely to experience. The cities coordinates are 39 38 12
N Latitude and 141 57 8 E Longitude.2 This means that it is located in the northern
hemisphere and to the east of the prime meridian.

Miyako

Figure 1 - Location of Miyako in Japan

Figure 2- Detailed location of Miyako

and its boarders

Miyakos Climate
Miyako, being a coastal city, has a maritime climate, it is relatively cool in the summer
and experiences milder winters and less snow then more inland areas. Being located so closely
to the ocean means that the waters temperature and its heat capacity helps to regulate and
maintain the temperatures on land.

Miyako, Japan Monthly Temperature Averages

1883-1990
80.0
70.0

Temperature

II.

60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
1

10

11

12

Months
Average Temp C

Average Temp F

Graph 1- Averaged monthly temperatures showing seasonality of Miyako Japan 1883-1990 (Data modified from
NOAA5)

The graph above shows the average monthly temperatures between 1883 and 1990
which can begin to help explain the annual seasonality of the region. The summers do not get
extremely hot, in their warmest month, August, temperatures on average are around 73F and
23C. In contrast to that the coldest months, January and February, are both around freezing
point most of the time, 32F and 0C.
Precipitation for the region also shows some seasonality. The drier months are the
winter months of December and January. Precipitation starts to constantly increase starting in
February and continues until August, where it is usually at its highest point. Then from August to
December precipitation values begin to decrease. The graph below shows these monthly
averaged precipitation values between 1883 and 2001 and the seasonality trends that it is
associated with. The driest months on average experience about 55mm of precipitation and the

wettest month, August, experiences about 160mm of precipitation. This is more than double the
amount of precipitation experienced between the driest and wettest month.

Pricipitation Amounts (mm)

Miyako, Japan Average Monthly Precipitation (mm)

1883 - 2001
225.0
200.0
175.0
150.0
125.0
100.0
75.0
50.0
25.0
1

10

11

12

Months

Graph 2- Averaged monthly precipitation values showing seasonality of Miyako, Japan 1883 2001 (Data modified
from NOAA5)

Miyako 30 Year Averaged Temperature Trends

Temperature C

III.

Miyako, Japan
Monthly 30 Year Temperature Average
vs. Month

27.0
24.0
21.0
18.0
15.0
12.0
9.0
6.0
3.0
0.0
1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

Months

Monthly Average Temp

8.0

9.0

10.0

11.0

12.0

Model

Graph 3- 30 year monthly averages with sin curve for Miyako, Japan (Data modified from NOAA5)

The graph above shows the average temperature for each month over the past 30 years.
However this graph is also fitted with a sin curve which marks the general temperatures you would
expect if you fallowed it into the future. The equation used to determine this line is shown below.
T(oC)= Asin(2/T t +) + DCoffset

T(oC)= 12oCsin(2/12months*t + 3.8) + 12oC

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IV.

Climate Trends for Miyako, Japan

In general an increasing trend in temperature is seen when the temperature data from Miyako,

Japan is observed. This increasing trend is true for the yearly maximum temperature, yearly average
temperature, and the yearly minimum temperature. The climate graph below plots the yearly
temperature averages and delineates these trend lines along with the equations associated with them.

Myako, Japan 1883-1990 Climate Trends

30.0

Temperature C

25.0
20.0

Tmax(oC) = 0.0105 C/yr t + 2.5805oC

R = 0.050

15.0
10.0

Tavg(oC) = 0.0113oC/yr t - 11.147oC

R = 0.263

5.0
0.0

Tmin (oC)= 0.0104oC/yr t - 20.703oC

R = 0.069

-5.0
-10.0
1880

1900

1920

Average Yearly Temp C

Yearly Max Temp C
Linear ( Yearly Min Temp C)

1940

Years

1960

1980

2000

Yearly Min Temp C

Linear (Average Yearly Temp C)
Linear (Yearly Max Temp C)

Graph 4 Climate trends for Miyako, Japan spanning all collected data (Data modified from NOAA5)

Precipitation seems to be slightly declining in trend. The graph below also shows the trends that
are occurring in Miyako, Japan across all the data recorded. Equations can be associated with these
trend lines and can be used to help predict what will happen in the future if things stay the way they are.

Myako, Japan Precipitation Values 1883-2001

Pricipitation (mm)

700.0
600.0
500.0

Pricip(mm) = -0.035mm/yr t + 83.459mm

Pricip(mm) = -0.2719mm/yr t + 816.86mm
mm
R = 0.0102 Pricip(mm) = -0.091 /yr t + 286.55mm R = 0.0097
R = 0.0179

400.0
300.0
200.0
100.0
0.0
1880

1900

1920

1940

1960

1980
2000
Average Yearly Precip. (mm)
Min Yearly Precip (mm)
Max Yearly Precip (mm)
Graph 5 - Precipitation trends for Miyako, Japan spanning all collected data (Data modified from NOAA5)

Years

V.

Location: Minneapolis, USA

Minneapolis is located in the US state of Minnesota, which is in the northern central
part of the United States. Minneapolis rests on both banks of the Mississippi River and north of
the rivers confluence with the Minnesota River. The cities coordinates are 44o59N and 93o16W.
It is a rather large city currently holding around 400,070 residents.1 Minneapolis lies on rather
flat terrain with an area of 58.4 square miles.1 Its major physiographical feature is the mighty
Mississippi that cuts through the city. Minneapolis is just about in the middle of the North
American continent, meaning that it is not close to any coasts, and is influenced mainly by a
continental climate, which means there can be large daily and seasonal fluctuations.

Figure 3 - Minneapolis location in Minnesota and its relative position in the US

VI.

Minneapoliss Climate
Due to its interior location Minneapolis has a continental climate, and more specifically a

humid continental climate. The differences between the average temperatures in the winter months
to the average temperatures in the summer months can range drastically, this is due to the
absences of a large body of water that can help regulate the temperatures. Land heats up and cools
down much faster than water does leading to these fluctuations. The figure below show the average
monthly temperatures over the years collected in both Celsius and Fahrenheit. On average the
hottest month, August, is about 75oF and 23oC. During its coldest months, December, January, and
February, the temperature is often below freezing. In January temperatures are seen as low as 12oF
and -10oC. From looking at this graph you can also start to see the pattern of seasonality that
Minneapolis encounters.

Minneapolis, USA Monthly Temperature Averages

1835 - 2000
80.0
70.0

Temperature

60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
-10.0
-20.0
1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

11.0

12.0

Month
Average Temp F

Average Temp C

Graph 6 - Averaged monthly temperatures showing seasonality of Minneapolis, USA 1835-2000 (Data modified from
NOAA5)

Precipitation averages were also looked at for Minneapolis. Seasonality in precipitation can
also be determined by looking at the graph below. Due to Minneapoliss temperature variations it
experiences a full range of precipitation and related weather events such as snow, sleet, ice, rain,
thunderstorms, and fog. Its wettest month on average is June with the lowest precipitation events
occurring around February and most likely falling in the form of snow around this time.

Minneapolis, USA Average Monthly Precipitation

1835 - 2000
Pricipitation Value (mm)

120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1

10

11

12

Month
Graph 7 - Averaged monthly precipitation values showing seasonality of Minneapolis, USA 1835 2000 (Data modified
from NOAA5)

VII.

Minneapolis 30 year Averaged Temperature Trends

Here another graph was formulated using the average temperatures (in Celsius) for

Minneapolis and fitted with a sin curve. The sin curve can help to fallow the seasonality of the
region and help show where the curve begins again and the seasons start over. Below is the formula
used to generate the curve for this graph and can be used to help understand the flow of the
climate throughout the year.
T(oC)= Asin(2/T t +) + DCoffset

T(oC)= 17.5oCsin(2/12months*t + 4.2) + 6.1oC

Temperature C

Minneapolis, USA
Monthly 30 year Temperature Average Vs. Month
30.00
25.00
20.00
15.00
10.00
5.00
0.00
-5.00
-10.00
-15.00
1.0

3.0

5.0

7.0

9.0

11.0

Months
Monthly Avg Temp

Model

Graph 8 - 30 year monthly averages with sin curve for Minneapolis, USA (Data modified from NOAA5)

Climate Trends for Minneapolis

Minneapolis, like Miyako, is also showing a slight temperature increase trending across
all of the data that was collected. The trend can be seen more in regards to the average
minimum temperature values then with the other two trend lines. The climate graph below
plots the yearly temperature averages and delineates these trend lines along with the equations
associated with them. The equations can help to predict what will happen in the future if
conditions stay the same.

Minneapolis, USA 1835-2000 Temperature Trends

30.0
20.0

Temperature C

VIII.

Tmax (oC)= 0.008oC/yr t + 7.4937oC

R = 0.0583

10.0

Tavg (oC) = 0.0109oC/yr t - 14.115oC

R = 0.1999

0.0

-10.0
-20.0
-30.0
1830

Tmin (oC) = 0.0112oC/yr t - 33.839oC

R = 0.0312
1850

1870

1890

1910

1930

1950

1970

1990

Months
Average Yearly Temperature
Average Yearly Min Temp
Average Yearly Max Temp
Linear (Average Yearly Temperature)
Linear (Average Yearly Min Temp)
Linear (Average Yearly Max Temp)
Graph 9 - Climate trends for Minneapolis, USA spanning all collected data(Data modified from NOAA5)

10

Precipitation trends can be seen on the graph below. For Minneapolis precipitation
seems to have generally stable trends lines for all three areas, average maximum precipitation,
average minimum precipitation, and average yearly precipitation. The equations associated with
the trend lines can help predict future values under the same conditions but seeing how the
lines are generally stable not too much change is expected to happen.

Minneapolis, USA Average Pricipitation Values

500.0

Pricip(mm)= 0.0135mm/yr t - 17.902 mm

Pricip(mm) = 0.0036mm/yr t + 148mm
R = 0.0124
R = 1E-05
400.0
Pricip(mm)= 0.0135mm/yr t + 32.166mm
350.0
R = 0.0027

Pricipitation mm

450.0

300.0
250.0
200.0
150.0
100.0
50.0
0.0
1835

1855

1875

1895

1915

1935

1955

1975

1995

Years
Average Yearly Pricp.

Average Min. Pricp

Average Max. Pricip

Linear (Average Yearly Pricp.)

Linear (Average Min. Pricp )

Linear (Average Max. Pricip)

Graph 10- Precipitation trends for Minneapolis, USA spanning all collected data (Data modified from NOAA5)

IX.

Conclusion
All of the data collected and used in this study was collected from NOAA. The main
differences seen between the two locations of study were mainly due to their relative location
to the coast. The more stable climate observed in Miyako, Japan is directly linked to its coastal
location and the opposite goes for Minneapolis. Minneapoliss interior continental location is
the driving force behind much of its fluctuating temperature patters. The humidity and
precipitation values can be related to the abundance of water near the city of Minneapolis,
being that it is on the Mississippi River and relatively close to the Great Lakes. Both locations
were in the Northern Hemisphere which means that they fallow generally the same patterns for
seasonality. They were both also, not at the same latitude, but at relatively close latitudes which
also factors into the amount of solar radiation each location gets. It was interesting to compare
two places that are extremely far from each other and be able to delineate similarities and
differences between the two.
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X.
1

Resources

Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 17 Apr. 2015.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minneapolis#Geography_and_climate>.

"Longitude and Latitude of Miyako." Miyako Geographic Coordinates, Longitude and

Latitude of Miyako, Japan. Web. 09 Apr. 2015.
<http://www.wemakemaps.com/coordinates/Miyako.2111884/>.

"Miyako, Iwate." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 09 Apr. 2015.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miyako,_Iwate>.

"A Trip to Iwate - Iwate Prefecture Tourism Portal Site." A Trip to Iwate. Web. 09 Apr.
2015. <http://www.japan-iwate.info/municipalities/>.

5NOAA's

National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) is responsible for preserving, monitoring, assessing,

and providing public access to the Nation's treasure of climate and historical weather data and
information. Learn more about NCDC . (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2015, from
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/

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