Climatic Variability in Sixteenth-Century Europe and its Social Dimension: A Synthesis

The introductory paper to this special issue of Climatic Change summarizes the results of an array of studies dealing with the reconstruction of climatic trends and anomalies in sixteenth-century Europe and their impact on the natural and the social world. Areas discussed include glacier expansion in the Alps, the frequency of natural hazards (floods in central and southern Europe and storms on the Dutch North Sea coast), the impact of climate deterioration on grain prices and wine production, and finally, witch-hunts.The documentary data used for the reconstruction of seasonal and annual precipitation and temperatures in central Europe (Germany, Switzerland and the Czech Republic) include narrative sources, several types of proxy data and 32 weather diaries. Results were compared with long-term composite tree ring series and tested statistically by cross-correlating series of indices based on documentary data from the sixteenth century with those of simulated indices based on instrumental series (1901-1960). It was shown that series of indices can be taken as good substitutes for instrumental measurements.A corresponding set of weighted seasonal and annual series of temperature and precipitation indices for central Europe was computed from series of temperature and precipitation indices for Germany, Switzerland and the Czech Republic, the weights being in proportion to the area of each country. The series of central European indices were then used to assess temperature and precipitation anomalies for the 1901-1960 period using transfer functions obtained from instrumental records. The statistical analysis of these series of estimated temperature and precipitation anomalies yielded features which are similar to those obtained from instrumental series.Results show that winter temperatures remained below the 1901-1960 average except in the 1520s and 1550s. Springs fluctuated from 0.3°C to 0.8°C below this average. Summer climate was divided into three periods of almost equal length. The first was characterized by an alternation of cool and warmer seasons. The second interval was 0.3°C warmer and between 5 and 6% drier than in the 1901–1960 period. It is emphasized that this warm period included several cold extremes in contrast to the recent period of warming. Summers from 1560 were 0.4°C colder and 4% more humid. Autumns were 0.7°C colder in the 1510s and 20% wetter in the 1570s. The deterioration of summer climate in the late sixteenth century initiated a second period of enlarged glaciers in this millennium (the first having been in the fourteenth century) which did not end until the late nineteenth century.An analysis of forcing factors (solar, volcanic, ENSO, greenhouse) points only to some volcanic forcing. In order to understand circulation patterns in the sixteenth century in terms of synoptic climatology, proxy information was mapped for a number of anomalous months. Attempts to compare circulation patterns in the sixteenth century with twentieth-century analogues revealed that despite broad agreements in pressure patterns, winters with distinct northeasterly patterns were more frequent in the sixteenth century, whereas the declining summer temperatures from the mid-1560s seem to be associated with a decreasing frequency of anticyclonic ridging from the Azores' center of action towards continental Europe. The number of severe storms on the Dutch North Sea coast was four times greater in the second half of the century than in the first. A more or less continuous increase in the number of floods over the entire century occurred in Germany and the Czech lands. The Iberian peninsula and the Garonne basin (France) had the greatest number of severe floods in the 1590s.The analysis of the effects of climate on rye prices in four German towns involved a model that included monthly temperatures and precipitation values known to affect grain production. The correlation with rye prices was found significant for the entire century and reached its highest values between 1565 and 1600. From the 1580s to the turn of the century wine production slumped almost simultaneously in four regions over a distance of 800 kilometers (Lake Zurich to western Hungary). This had far-reaching consequences for the Habsburg treasury and promoted a temporary shift in drinking habits from wine to beer. Peasant communities which were suffering large collective damage from the effects of climatic change pressed authorities for the organization of witch-hunts. Seemingly most witches were burnt as scapegoats of climatic change.     

基于《翁同龢日记》天气记录重建的北京1860～1897年的降水量

私人日记中的天气记录是重建历史时期高分辨率降水量序列的重要资料.通过摘录、整理《翁同龢日记》中晴、雨(雪)记录,统计了逐月降水日数,并利用降水量与降水日数之间的转换方程,重建了北京1860～1897年的夏季和年降水量.将重建的降水量与当时的器测降水量和依据“晴雨录”重建的降水量进行对比,综合这3种资料重新估算了北京18...     

2004年的极端天气和气候事件及其他相关事件的概要回顾

韩国3月暴雪,德国7月飞雪,我国华南近50年最严重的秋冬连旱、东北百年一遇的春旱,加勒比海地区连续异常猛烈的飓风,欧洲夏季高温,东太平洋上出现一次弱El Nino现象.2004年仍是气象灾害频繁发生的一年,创历史记录的极端天气继续出现.     

张家口市崇礼的雪季与冬奥会赛期的降雪特征分析

利用张家口市崇礼1960-2014年逐日降水和天气现象资料,分析了雪季与冬奥会赛期(2月4-20日)的降雪特征。结果显示：崇礼最早降雪初日为10月13日,最迟降雪终日为4月30日,初、终雪日多年平均为11月2日和4月6日;雪季长度最长和最短分别为190 d和123 d,多年平均为156 d。雪季间最长连续无降雪时段多出现在12月末到1月下旬。冬奥会赛期前的11月上旬降雪日数少,但降雪量较大;此后各旬降雪日数、雪量差异不大。2月4-20日间平均4~5 d出现一次降雪,且主要为中小雪,出现大雪的概率极低。这些结果为冬奥会赛场充分利用降雪资源、制定赛事计划和赛事期间的气象条件预测及预报等保障提供参考依据。     

Comparison of weather station snowfall with winter snow accumulation in high arctic basins

Abstract

Most water balance studies in the High Arctic indicate that the weather stations underestimate annual precipitation, but the magnitude of such error is unknown. Based on up to seven years of field measurements, this study provides a comparison of snowfall at weather stations with the winter snow accumulation in their nearby drainage basins.

Snowfall is the major form of precipitation in the polar region for nine months every year. Without vegetation, snowdrift is controlled by the local terrain. By establishing the snow characteristics for different terrain types, total basin snow storage can be obtained by areally weighting the snow cover for various terrain units in the basin. Such a method was successfully employed to compute total winter snowfall in the drainage basins near Resolute, Eureka and Mould Bay. Results show that the basins had 130 to 300per cent more snow than the weather stations recorded. Using revised snowfall values that are reinforced by Koerner's snow core measurements from ice‐caps, it is hoped that a more realistic precipitation map can be provided for the High Arctic.     

Temperature and precipitation trends in Canada during the 20th century

Abstract

Trends in Canadian temperature and precipitation during the 20th century are analyzed using recently updated and adjusted station data. Six elements, maximum, minimum and mean temperatures along with diurnal temperature range (DTR), precipitation totals and ratio of snowfall to total precipitation are investigated. Anomalies from the 1961–1990 reference period were first obtained at individual stations, and were then used to generate gridded datasets for subsequent trend analyses. Trends were computed for 1900–1998 for southern Canada (south of 60°N), and separately for 1950–1998 for the entire country, due to insufficient data in the high arctic prior to the 1950s.

From 1900–1998, the annual mean temperature has increased between 0.5 and 1.5°C in the south. The warming is greater in minimum temperature than in maximum temperature in the first half of the century, resulting in a decrease of DTR. The greatest warming occurred in the west, with statistically significant increases mostly seen during spring and summer periods. Annual precipitation has also increased from 5% to 35% in southern Canada over the same period. In general, the ratio of snowfall to total precipitation has been increasing due mostly to the increase in winter precipitation which generally falls as snow and an increase of ratio in autumn. Negative trends were identified in some southern regions during spring. From 1950–1998, the pattern of temperature change is distinct: warming in the south and west and cooling in the northeast, with similar magnitudes in both maximum and minimum temperatures. This pattern is mostly evident in winter and spring. Across Canada, precipitation has increased by 5% to 35%, with significant negative trends found in southern regions during winter. Overall, the ratio of snowfall to total precipitation has increased, with significant negative trends occurring mostly in southern Canada during spring.

Indices of abnormal climate conditions are also examined. These indices were defined as areas of Canada for 1950–1998, or southern Canada for 1900–1998, with temperature or precipitation anomalies above the 66th or below the 34th percentiles in their relevant time series. These confirmed the above findings and showed that climate has been becoming gradually wetter and warmer in southern Canada throughout the entire century, and in all of Canada during the latter half of the century.     

1999—2018年鲁南地区暴雪天气的影响系统及环流特征

利用1999-2018年鲁南地区地面逐日降水资料、NCEP再分析资料,统计了鲁南地区近20年暴雪天气过程,分析了四类影响系统的环流形势和主要特征。结果表明：近20年鲁南地区暴雪过程明显减少;产生鲁南地区暴雪天气的影响系统分为四类,按照发生频次从多到少依次为：回流形势、江淮气旋、切变线和低槽冷锋;回流暴雪灾害重、影响大,11月常出现大范围暴雪,根据500hPa环流形势特征分为高纬低压带型和两槽一脊型回流暴雪,建立了鲁南地区回流暴雪天气模型;江淮气旋暴雪主要发生在2月,影响系统复杂,通常先倒槽降雨,后转为回流形势降雪,揭示了江淮气旋降雪开始与结束时的环流特征;切变线暴雪降水量自南向北减少,以区域性暴雪为主;低槽冷锋暴雪500hPa以下各层低槽比较明显,地面为冷锋,影响系统过境时间短一般降雪量较小。     

平流层强、弱极涡事件的演变过程及其对我国冬季天气的影响

本文利用1979～2010年的NCEP再分析资料,通过北半球环状模NAM指数挑选出的强、弱极涡个例,分析了北半球平流层异常变化过程中行星波的演变以及与之相联系的我国天气的变化特征。结果表明,在强极涡事件前,行星波1波会被反射回对流层,极地波导减弱,低纬波导增强,中高纬地区的E-P通量矢量有着从平流层传播到对流层的趋势;强极涡事件后,极地波导增强,低纬波导减弱。在弱极涡事件前,中、高纬度行星波1波沿着极地波导的传播明显增强;弱极涡事件后,极地波导明显减弱。与此对应的我国天气也有明显变化,在强极涡事件前,我国大部分地区温度偏低,南方地区偏湿而新疆西北部和云南西部地区偏干;在强极涡事件后,东亚冬季风进一步增强,冷空气加强南下,南方地区可降水量减少,新疆西北部仍然偏干,而云南大部分地区可将水量增加。在弱极涡事件前,东亚冬季风显著增强,使我国气温偏冷,降水减少,而弱极涡事件后,我国气温明显回升,中、东部地区和新疆西北部地区降水明显增加。     

江苏省冬季气温、降水年代际异常及相关分析

利用NCEP/NCAR再分析资料和江苏省冬季气温、降水资料,运用带通滤波、经验正交分解(EOF)和相关分析等方法,分析了江苏省冬季气候年代际异常及同期气温与降水的相关特征.结果表明:江苏省冬季气候的年代际变化具有很好的空间一致性,表现为全省整体偏暖(偏冷)和偏涝(偏旱)的趋势;冬季气候存在明显的年代际突变,时间在1980s中期前后,平均气温从偏冷时期向偏暖时期转换,降水由偏少期向偏多时期转换.通过冬季同期降水和气温的相关分析发现,降水和气温具有一定的正相关性,而他们的年代际分量的正相关性更为显著,这与冬季大气环流场和海温场的年代际变化有密切的关系.     

浙江省1901—2017年降水序列构建及变化特征分析

基于通过均一性检验的历史观测资料和GPCC格点降水数据,采用逐步回归方法,构建了可以代表浙江省的1901—2017年年降水序列,并通过Morlet小波分析、MK检验、气候趋势等分析了浙江百年降水变化特征。结果表明：浙江68个台站1951—2017年月降水序列数据质量较好,均通过RHtest均一性检验。交叉检验表明,采用逐步回归方法区别台站资料长度建立的最优拟合方程组,能很好地反演浙江68个台站1901—2013年年降水情况。1901—2017年浙江省年降水量无明显线性变化趋势,但存在56 a和35 a两个变化主周期,在1960年前后全省降水由多雨期向少雨期突变。1901—2017年浙江降水气候倾向率呈东北高西南低的分布特征,各地数值分布在-15.6~19.1 mm/10a之间;平均相对变率呈北低南高的分布特征,各地数值分布在11.1%~20.2%之间。     

The influence of atmospheric circulation on the type of precipitation (Krak��w, southern Poland)

The paper discusses the impact of atmospheric circulation on the occurrence of various types of precipitation. A 146-year-long precipitation record from Kraków spanning the period 1863?C2008 was used alongside a calendar prepared by Nied?wied? (1981, 2009) describing circulation types covering the period 1873?C2008 and air masses and atmospheric fronts covering the period 1951?C2008 in southern Poland. The influence of atmospheric circulation on precipitation was measured using the frequency, conditional probability and average daily totals of precipitation. Circulation types, air masses and atmospheric fronts exerted influences on precipitation as a result of the seasonal variations of the thermal and moisture properties of air masses. The impact is best expressed by circulation types as these combine the aspect of cyclonicity/anticyclonicity with that of the direction of air advection, the two elements which determine the physical properties of the air. On average, liquid precipitation prevailed in all circulation types, except the Ea type in which snowfall dominated over liquid precipitation. Depending on the season, one of the three types of circulation, Wa, Wc and Bc, were shown to coincide with the greatest amount of liquid and thunderstorm precipitation. There was no single dominant circulation type for mixed precipitation or snowfall. In summer, the circulation types Nc, NEc, Cc and Bc were the most favourable to liquid and thunderstorm precipitation in terms of both probability and totals. In winter, snowfall was the most favoured by the Ec type. Frontal precipitation was twice as likely to occur as air mass precipitation, with the exception of snowfall which was predominantly an air mass type of precipitation in terms of probability, but its greatest totals were recorded on atmospheric fronts.     

丹东地区沿海和山区降雪气候特征

利用丹东地区4个观测站1955—2010年逐年10月至翌年4月逐日降水量、天气现象、雪深等资料,对丹东地区南部沿海和北部山区降雪气候特征进行了分析,结果表明:丹东地区沿海和山区降雪初日、终日及初终日间隔日数、年降雪日数、年降雪量、降水相态、日最大降雪量、日最大积雪深度等平均特征不同。与山区相比,沿海降雪初期较晚,终期较早,初、终日间日数较短,年降雪日数和年降雪量相对较少。在丹东地区1955—2010年降雪时段平均气温升高趋势显著背景下,丹东地区降雪初期推迟、终期提前、初终日间隔日数缩短;降雪日数减少,其中雨夹雪日数所占百分比显著增多;降雪量减少,其中主要是纯雪量减少;日最大降雪量和积雪深度呈减小趋势;沿海和山区变化幅度不同。     

The winter of 1827–1828 over eastern North America: a season of extraordinary climatic anomalies, societal impacts, and false spring

This study reconstructed the weather and its impacts on society for the winter of 1827–1828, focusing on the eastern United States. Data comprise of daily and monthly instrumental records, diaries with both daily and seasonal resolution, newspapers, fur trapper accounts, and tree-rings. Temperature anomalies were calculated and mapped based on the means during the 1820–1840 period to account for different fixed observation times. Precipitation frequencies provided direct comparisons of the 1827–1828 weather with modern climatic normals. Daily plots of temperature also reveal weather variations at daily timeframes. Results indicate that the eastern United States experienced strong positive temperature anomalies that are among the most extreme known in the historical record, particularly its large spatial extent. In contrast, historical evidence reveals strong negative temperature anomalies over northwestern North America, and positive temperature anomalies are evident for coastal Alaska. These temperature anomaly patterns sharply contrast to what is normally experienced during a warm El Niño event. Furthermore, results clearly describe remarkable climatic impacts in the Southeast U.S., including widespread blossoming of fruit trees in mid-winter (false spring) that led to a widespread severe killing frost in early April of 1828. Widespread positive precipitation frequency anomalies are also evident for much of the Southeast U.S., which also played a prominent role on winter vegetation growth. Other weather events and impacts include unusual opening of river traffic in winter in New England, severe flooding in the Mississippi River Valley, and heavy snowfall in northwestern North America.     

商丘暴雨日及分布特征研究

对商丘国家观象台1954-2005年月报表中挑取的符合暴雨日条件的142个样本分析,结果表明:商丘暴雨日具有明显的季节性,频发于7、8月份;暴雨日年平均2.73个;日暴雨量最大(193.3 mm)不超过200 mm;最长连续暴雨日数不超过2日;连续暴雨日降水量累计(223.9 mm)不超过250 mm;1 h最大降水量不超过70 mm。暴雨日的年代际变化特征明显,20世纪80年代后暴雨日出现较晚,60-90年代的暴雨日数递减,90年代后有增加趋势;大暴雨日数自60年代起有逐步增加趋势。暴雨日对月、年降水量有显著贡献,4-9月暴雨日对月降水量的贡献很大,且从4月到7月暴雨日的贡献呈递增趋势。一年内暴雨日出现5次时,当年的年雨量为偏多年份。     

1981-2010年青藏高原降雪日数时空变化特征

利用青藏高原气象站降雪日数观测资料,分析1981-2010年青藏高原降雪日数的时空变化特点和主要影响因素。结果表明:降雪日数总体上呈青藏高原中东部高寒地区、喜马拉雅山脉南麓和祁连山脉流域降雪日数多,南部河谷和北部湖盆区降雪日数少的空间分布格局;春季降雪日数占全年的45%,其次是冬季（28%）和秋季（22%）,夏季最少（5%）;30年内青藏高原平均年降雪日数呈明显减少趋势,降幅达10.5 d/（10 a）,其中,春季降幅最大（4.8 d/（10 a））,夏季最小（1.2 d/（10 a））;年降雪日数在1997年发生了由多到少的气候突变;降雪日数年内分布呈双峰型,峰值出现在冬夏大气环流的转换季节,青藏高原大气环流的转换期与上升运动相联系的低值天气系统和高空温湿条件均有利于降雪出现;青藏高原降雪日数的明显减少与气温的显著上升呈线性关系。     

风廓线雷达资料在乌鲁木齐一次大暴雪过程分析中的应用

利用常规观测、自动站逐时降水量、乌鲁木齐市风廓线雷达及ECMWF1°×1°再分析等资料,对2018年10月17—18日乌鲁木齐雨夹雪转大暴雪过程进行分析。结果表明,大暴雪是在低空西北气流与中高层西南急流叠加并维持的有利环流背景下,由700～850 hPa风切变、风速辐合、地面冷锋及地形强迫抬升等多尺度系统共同作用造成的。强降雪时雷达探测高度维持较高达7500 m,随着降雪结束探测高度明显降低。水平风场表明低空西北急流与中高层偏南急流形成的垂直风切变廓线的维持,是强降雪持续的动力条件。大气折射率结构常数C_n~2、垂直速度的大小与雨雪的开始、结束时间有较好的对应关系,且低层较强偏北风与C_n~2大值区相对应,降雪时低层垂直速度为0.8～1.2 m·s~(-1),雨或雨夹雪时垂直速度为1.8～2.5 m·s~(-1)。因此,水平风向风速、C_n~2和垂直速度的垂直变化对暴雪短临预报有很好的参考价值。     

1960—2005年东北地区降雪变化特征研究

利用国家气象信息中心提供的逐日降水和逐日天气现象台站资料,在运用旋转经验正交函数（Rotated Empirical Orthogonal Function, REOF）和相关分析进行降雪分区的基础上,重点研究了46 a来东北地区降雪的时空分布、演变特征和长期气候趋势。结果表明：东北地区的山地是主要的降雪地区,而平原及平原南部是降雪较少的区域,降雪区域差异明显。在空间上,大兴安岭北部（长白山地区）是降雪增加（减少）最大的地区,小兴安岭地区（平原地区）是降雪增加（减少）较明显的地区。在时间上,东北北区降雪量呈增加趋势,且在20世纪90年代发生了突变,目前增加趋势显著,而东北南区降雪量是减少的。     

Climate variability in the Pacific Northwest and its effect on stripe rust disease of winter wheat

Wheat stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis West.) epidemics are confined predominantly to the Pacific Northwest in the U. S. A. because of climate. This disease was frequently reported until the late 1930's and then virtually absent until the late 1950's. Since the severe epidemic in 1961, stripe rust has been frequently severe on winter wheat and has caused losses in susceptible cultivars in many years. Because of the unusual history of stripe rust in this region, the possibility that climate variability affected the pattern of rust occurrence was investigated. Meteorological data for seven locations in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho were analyzed. In 1961–1974 for the Columbia Basin locations, January and February temperatures averaged 1.20° C higher than during the period 1935–1960; however, April temperatures averaged 1.28° C lower in 1961–1974 than during the earlier period. Monthly precipitation averages have not varied more than 12.7 mm in any month. Between 1961–1974, December snowfall almost doubled over that in 1935–1960; snowfall in February decreased over 50% from the earlier period. Data was computed on a seasonal basis since 1901 and considered in respect to stripe rust epidemics. Since 1961, above-normal winter and below-normal spring temperatures have increased the frequency and severity of stripe rust epidemics in the Pacific Northwest. The direction of temperature and precipitation trends varied with the time period considered. How the climate variability which has occurred may have affected winter wheat growth and yields is postulated. Studies such as this should be useful to researchers modelling crop-yields, agronomists evaluating results from field experiments and to researchers studying fluctuations in pest populations.This research was supported by a National Science Foundation Grant (ATM 76-21725); Climate Dynamics Program, Division of Atmospheric Sciences.     

Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Fluctuations in Selected Parts of Europe During the Sixteenth Century

The article in hand presents a comparative analysis of unweighted thermic and hygric index series of different European regions (northern Switzerland, Germany, the Czech Republic, northern Italy, ancient Hungary, Poland and Spain). Besides methodological aspects about the formation of indices, especially the progress as well as the question of similarity development of these series in the 16th century are discussed and shown on the balance sheet. It becomes evident that with respect to the temperature on the level of unweighted indices the European regions of Germany, the Czech Republic and Switzerland are very similar during all seasons. In winter and summer these correlations are especially evident, during the transitional seasons they are smaller. Larger differences exist between the central European core region and the adjacent areas of research. In principle, the hygric differences are larger than the thermic ones.In the course of the sixteenth century marked cooling phases occurred during all seasons with increasing accentuation. These phases were typical for the climate of the Little Ice Age. In addition to this long-term analysis, some outstanding years of extreme weather like those of 1540, 1573 and 1587 are presented, in the course of which questions of climatic impact are included. Finally, recent instrumental data was used to conduct an analysis that compared the similarities between the respective regions and the similarities between the empirical data and indices. On the one hand, this confirmed the spatial pattern, on the other hand the usability of the indices.