Bringing the Universe to America's Classrooms
Daily and Seasonal Weather

Using Average Temperature Data

Looking for patterns in the daily temperature for a year or more can be difficult. Grouping the temperature data can make some patterns easier to see. One way to do that is to think about the temperature for a whole month. The average monthly temperature describes what the temperature usually was every day during a month.
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Average Temperature Example (Click to open)
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This graph shows average monthly temperatures for one year in a U.S. city. Organizing the data this way helps you see how temperatures change over a year.
A bar graph titled “Average Monthly Temperatures (degrees Fahrenheit) for a U.S. City.”
Vertical blue bars show the temperatures. The y-axis, or vertical side, lists temperatures from 0 up to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The x-axis, or horizontal side, lists all months from January to December. See the alt-format document in Handouts on PBS LearningMedia for a list of the temperatures.

Take Notes

Use the graph to answer these questions:

1. Which season has the coldest temperatures? Include evidence from the graph in your answer.

2. Compare temperatures in the spring and fall months. Include evidence from the graph in your answer.

3. If you were to visit this city in the winter, what would you pack? Explain why.

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