Recently, I've been working on a project to visualize the trend of temperatures here in Minneapolis. This isn't just about showcasing how great of a developer I am 😀, but about showing the subtle shifts I see in the climate here, as evidenced by the changing patterns of both summer and winter temperatures.
It feels like its getting warmer here, so I wanted to show the actual trend to give me a definite answer. The project involved parsing through extensive weather data to track the average temperatures of seasons across years - winter in this case. The aim is pretty straightforward and to chart these temperatures to uncover any underlying trends. The results are a visualization that not only presented the data but shows that, yeah, our winters are getting warmer.
One of the key features of this visualization was the inclusion of a trend line. This wasn't merely a line drawn through the data; it was a calculated representation of the temperature's trajectory over time. Observing the trend line's upward movement, which is insightful, and a bit concerning, shows Minneapolis' winters are gradually warming.
This chart highlights the top five warmest winters, underscoring the instances where the temperature peaks stood out most prominently. Out of the top five three have occurred pretty recently: 2024 being the biggest.
This project on visualizing winter warming trends in Minneapolis serves as a testament to the transformative power of data visualization. It exemplifies how, with the right approach and tools, complex data can be transformed into clear, impactful narratives that drive awareness, understanding, and change.
I have created a website and mobile apps to follow the record temperatures across the United States. You can follow along via the website, iOS app or Android app.