Evidence of Climate Change in the 1949-2010 Historical Climate Record of the Fort Cobb Experimental Watershed, Oklahoma

Seasonal and annual precipitation and air temperature records of the Fort Cobb watershed and the Fort Cobb climate division were analyzed to identify climatic trends over the last 30 to 40 years and infer if these trends could potentially be a sign of climate change due to global warming. Findings suggested that there is no evidence in the historical record that changes in precipitation over the last 30 to 40 years could be explained as a sign of climate change. However, the rise in annual average temperature was exceptional and interpreted as a likely sign of climate change due to global warming. Comparison with climate projections from global circulation models is recommended to support or refute the findings of this study.