A maximum temperature forecasting method for the city of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul

forecasting maximum temperature is very important for the population. in order to offer a way of forecasting this temperature, a method was adapted and tested based on the height of the layer with a dry adiabatic lapse rate. the database was formed over a period of three years: 1998, 1999 and 2000. determination and correlation coefficients were calculated in order to verify the method validity. also, several statistical characteristics were determined and the observed and forecasted maximum temperature series were compared. the results show that the method tested is a good one, at least for the region of pelotas.