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Main Author: Otranto, Edoardo
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.21495
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author Otranto, Edoardo
author_facet Otranto, Edoardo
contents This paper proposes a novel data-driven approach for identifying and modelling areas with similar temperature variations throufigureh clustering and Space-Time AutoRegressive (STAR) models. Using annual temperature data from 168 countries (1901-2022), we apply three clustering methods based on (i) warming rates, (ii) annual temperature variations, and (iii) persistence of variation signs, using Euclidean and Hamming distances. These clusters are then employed to construct alternative spatial weight matrices for STAR models. Empirical results show that distance-based STAR models outperform classical contiguity-based ones, both in-sample and out-of-sample, with the Hamming distance-based STAR model achieving the best predictive accuracy. The study demonstrates that using statistical similarity rather than geographical proximity improves the modelling of global temperature dynamics, suggesting broader applicability to other environmental and socioeconomic datasets.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_21495
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Clustering Methods for Identifying and Modelling Areas with Similar Temperature Variations
Otranto, Edoardo
Applications
This paper proposes a novel data-driven approach for identifying and modelling areas with similar temperature variations throufigureh clustering and Space-Time AutoRegressive (STAR) models. Using annual temperature data from 168 countries (1901-2022), we apply three clustering methods based on (i) warming rates, (ii) annual temperature variations, and (iii) persistence of variation signs, using Euclidean and Hamming distances. These clusters are then employed to construct alternative spatial weight matrices for STAR models. Empirical results show that distance-based STAR models outperform classical contiguity-based ones, both in-sample and out-of-sample, with the Hamming distance-based STAR model achieving the best predictive accuracy. The study demonstrates that using statistical similarity rather than geographical proximity improves the modelling of global temperature dynamics, suggesting broader applicability to other environmental and socioeconomic datasets.
title Clustering Methods for Identifying and Modelling Areas with Similar Temperature Variations
topic Applications
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.21495