The Effects of Climate Change on Precipitation
In New York and California Study Areas
STORE Lesson 3
Name: ___________________
Period: ___________________
Date: ____________________
Introduction
This lesson analyzes precipitation projections for the year 2050 and 2099. Students use
Google Earth to compare projected year 2050 and 2099 precipitation to recent
precipitation and analyze the relative amount of precipitation changes within the New
York and California Study Area.
Objective
To visualize projected change in precipitation within the California Study Area in the
year 2050 and 2099 and compare it to the projected change in precipitation within the
New York Study Area.
Data Set up
1. Use this path by double clicking the following folders to get your data. X:drive,
High School, Earth Science, Store Data.
2. Once the Store Data folder is open, look for the file called NYCalStoreData.kmz
. Right click on this file and click copy. Open your H-Drive and paste the file.
Double click the file name to open Google Earth.
Part 1 - Comparison of precipitation data at each of the five California weather
stations.
1. Open the CA Weather Stations folder in the Places panel. Double click on San
Jose. A pop-up table will appear and the map will automatically zoom into a
closer view of this weather station.
2. Record the elevation (in feet) in column 1 of the table on the report sheet.
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3. Record the annual precipitation (referred to as “AnnPrecip” in the pop-up
window) in column 2 of the table on the report sheet.
4. Open the 2050 Precipitation Projection folder. Turn on the Single Values
layer.
5. On the map, click on the closest orange point (Single Values) to the weather
station. You may need to close the weather station pop-up table before choosing
the closest point. If you do not see any orange points around your location,
SLOWLY zoom out until you see the closest orange point.
6. Record the projected precipitation for 2050 (referred to as“ANN_PRC_50” in the
pop-up window) in Column 3 of the table on the report sheet.
7. Turn off the 2050 Precipitation Projection.
8. Open the 2099 Precipitation Projection folder. Turn on the Single Values layer
9. On the map, click on the closest purple point (Single Values) to the weather
station. You may need to close the weather station pop-up table before choosing
the closest point. If you do not see any purple points around your location,
SLOWLY zoom out until you see the closest purple point.
10. Record this value in Column 4.
11. Repeat steps 1 through 10 for the other California weather stations.
12. Turn off all layers when you have completely filled out the table.
 Part 2 - Comparison of precipitation data at each of the five New York weather
stations.
13. Open the NY Data folder, then open the Western New York Study Area folder.
Now turn on the Western NY Weather Stations and Study Area Boundary
layers.
14. Open the Western NY Weather Stations folder in the Places panel. Double
click on Tully Heiberg Forest. A pop-up table will appear and the map will
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automatically zoom into a closer view of this weather station.
15. Record the annual precipitation (referred to as “AnnPrecip” in the pop-up
window) in column 2 of the table on the report
16. Record the elevation (in feet) in column 1 of the table on the report sheet.
17. Open the 2050 Precipitation Projection folder. Turn on the Single Values
layer.
18. On the map, click on the closest orange point (Single Values) to the weather
station. You may need to close the weather station pop-up table before choosing
the closest point. If you do not see any orange points around your location,
SLOWLY zoom out until you see the closest orange point
19. Record the projected precipitation for 2050 (referred to as“ANN_PRC_50” in the
pop-up window) in Column 3 of the table on the report sheet.
20. Turn off the 2050 Precipitation Projection.
21. Open the 2099 Precipitation Projection folder. Turn on the Single Values layer
22. On the map, click on the closest purple point (Single Values) to the weather
station. You may need to close the weather station pop-up table before choosing
the closest point. If you do not see any purple points around your location,
SLOWLY zoom out until you see the closest purple point.
23. Record this value in Column 4.
24. Repeat steps 13 through 23 for the other New York weather stations.
25. Use the data you have collected and the layers on google earth to answer the
questions on the report sheet.
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Name
Date
Block
Partner
Lesson 3 Report Sheet: The Effects of Climate Change on
Precipitation in New York and California Study Areas
Column 1
California
Weather
Stations
Column 2
Column 3
Column 4
Elevation
(feet)
Recent Average
Annual
Precipitation
(inches)
2050
Precipitation
Projection
(inches)
2099
Precipitation
Projection
(inches)
Elevation
(feet)
Recent Average
Annual
Precipitation
(inches)
2050
Precipitation
Projection
(inches)
2099
Precipitation
Projection
(inches)
San Jose
Modesto CityCounty AP
Sonora RS
Mount
Hamilton
Twin Lakes
New York
Weather
Stations
Avon
Buffalo Niagara
Intl
Geneva
Research Farm
Warsaw 6 SW
Tully Heiberg
Forest
Questions – Answer the following questions in the space provided.
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1. Describe the relationship between the elevation and the Recent Average Annual
Precipitation found in the California study area.
2. Describe the relationship between the elevation and the Recent Average Annual
Precipitation found in the New York study area.
3. After looking at the projected year 2050 precipitation within the California and
New York Study Area compared to recent precipitation, does precipitation
increase or decrease in the study areas? Provide one example from each study
area to prove your answer.
4. After looking at the projected year 2099 precipitation within the California and
New York Study Area compared to recent precipitation, does precipitation
increase or decrease in the study areas? Provide one example from each study
area to prove your answer.
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5. Using the data you collected, which year had the greatest change in projected
precipitation? Provide specific data from your investigation to support your
answer.
6. After reviewing the change in projected precipitation for the California and New
York study areas, which location had the greatest change in projected
precipitation?
7. Based on your answer to question 6, what conclusion can be made about the
possible cause of the change in precipitation.
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