Student Research Reports

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Daily surface temperature measurements are a significant and essential variable to consider while implementing strategies on working to develop a more complete understanding of how larger weather conditions, events, and patterns affect more local and microclimate sites.  This research project was conducted at Crestwood High School in Dearborn Heights, Michigan; a suburban area approximately 18 miles away from the urban center of Detroit. A variety of daily atmospheric data was collected from January 10th, 2019 to February 10th, 2019. This research sought to investigate how surface temperature measurements either coincide in a directly proportional form, inversely related form, or lagged behind other atmospheric variables measured. An additional research goal was sought to determine the most significant factors affecting surface temperature fluctuations during select winter months. With Michigan’s unpredictable winter weather patterns, there were several varying weather conditions (wet, dry, sunny, windy, snow, etc.) throughout the study period.  After analyzing the other select atmospheric weather parameters, we have come to a conclusion that there is a steady correlation between surface temperature and the three parameters: air temperature, relative humidity, and barometric pressure, also adding that later, percent cloud cover has an indirect correlation with surface temperature. Further research should be done to observe how atmospheric parameters affect the weather conditions at different latitudes, elevations, surface covers, and surface albedo including the effects of atmospheric disturbances locally and globally.