How can I use the PCA function to find the principle components of a variable?

Hello, I am working on developing a 4D matrix that will have lat,lon,day,time for a months worth of temperature data. Can I simply say z=pca(goes_lst)? To break down the components within? Or is there a better way? Thank you!

Answer 1

[Bernhard Suhm]

You'll get the loadings for your variables. But think about whether applying PCA this way to your data makes sense. We'll expect time of day to explain a fair amount of the variability in temperature, the day will just reflect the weather patterns of that particular month (or the absence thereof). Latitude and longitude would explain climate differences in geographically quite separate areas. Think about what kind of model are you trying to develop, and whether or not you need preprocessing for that.