TEMPERATURE FREQUENCIES IN THE UNITED STATES

Abstract

Standard deviations of distributions of hourly temperatures at forty places in the United States during January and July (1935?1939) show area and seasonal changes differing from those of the mean daily range. Skewness is negative in January, positive in July. Excess is erratic but, combined with standard deviation, permits identification of three types of temperature distribution, each with definite geographic arrangement. Differences among distributions are explained by the differing amounts of water present, chiefly in liquid form as clouds, open bodies, and in the ground.