Trends and variability of storminess in the Northeast Atlantic region, 1874–2007

This article builds on the previous studies on storminess conditions in the northeast North Atlantic–European region. The period of surface pressure data analyzed is extended from 1881–1998 to 1874–2007. The seasonality and regional differences of storminess conditions in this region are also explored in more detail. The results show that storminess conditions in this region have undergone substantial decadal or longer time scale fluctuations, with considerable seasonal and regional differences. The most notable differences are seen between winter and summer, and between the North Sea area and other parts of the region. In particular, winter storminess shows an unprecedented maximum in the early 1990s in the North Sea area and a steady upward trend in the northeastern part of the region, while it appears to have declined in the western part of the region. In summer, storminess appears to have declined in most parts of this region. In the transition seasons, the storminess trend is characterized by increases in the northern part of the region and decreases in the southeastern part, with increases in the north being larger in spring. In particular, the results also show that the earliest storminess maximum occurred in summer (around 1880), while the latest storminess maximum occurred in winter (in the early 1990s). Looking at the annual metrics alone (as in previous studies), one would conclude that the latest storminess maximum is at about the same level as the earliest storminess maximum, without realizing that this is comparing the highest winter storminess level with the highest summer storminess level in the period of record analyzed, while winter and summer storminess conditions have undergone very different long-term variability and trends. Also, storminess conditions in the NE Atlantic region are found to be significantly correlated with the simultaneous NAO index in all seasons but autumn. The higher the NAO index, the rougher the NE Atlantic storminess conditions, especially in winter and spring.     

Trends and uncertainties in surface air temperature over the Tibetan Plateau, 1951–2013

Trends and uncertainties of surface air temperature over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are evaluated by using observations at 100 meteorological stations during the period 1951–2013. The sampling error variances of gridded monthly data are estimated for every month and every grid box of data. The gridded data and their sampling error variances are used to calculate TP averages, their trends, and associated uncertainties. It is shown that large sampling error variances dominate northern and western TP, while small variances appear over southern and eastern TP. Every month from January to December has a positive linear trend during the study period. February has the largest trend of 0.34 ± 0.18°C (10 yr)^–1, and April the smallest at 0.15 ± 0.11°C (10 yr)^–1. The uncertainties decrease steadily with time, implying that they are not large enough to alter the TP warming trend.     

Trends and Uncertainties in Surface Air Temperature over the Tibetan Plateau,1951–2013

Trends and uncertainties of surface air temperature over the Tibetan Plateau(TP)are evaluated by using observations at 100 meteorological stations during the period 1951–2013.The sampling error variances of gridded monthly data are estimated for every month and every grid box of data.The gridded data and their sampling error variances are used to calculate TP averages,their trends,and associated uncertainties.It is shown that large sampling error variances dominate northern and western TP,while small variances appear over southern and eastern TP.Every month from January to December has a positive linear trend during the study period.February has the largest trend of 0.34±0.18°C(10 yr)~(–1),and April the smallest at 0.15±0.11°C(10 yr)~(–1).The uncertainties decrease steadily with time,implying that they are not large enough to alter the TP warming trend.     

Climatology of thunderstorms in the Baltic countries, 1951–2000

This paper provides an overview of the thunderstorm climate of the Baltic countries during the period of 1951–2000. Our study area is in northeastern Europe and encompasses Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Visual thunderstorm observations at 59 weather stations were used as a data source. The mean annual number of thunderstorm days was 12–29.5. The seasonal cycle of thunderstorm hours with a daily step unexpectedly showed two maxima, whereas the monthly numbers of thunderstorm days had one clear mid-latitude specific peak between June and August. The diurnal cycle of thunderstorm hours showed a peak between 1400 and 1800 local time and a minimum between 0400 and 1000 hours local time. The average annual duration of thunderstorm events was 112 min. The average number of thunderstorm events per thunderstorm day was around 1.1–1.2. Our results showed that the thunderstorm climate of the Baltic countries generally resembles that of other mid-latitude study sites.     

Analysis of temperature variability in the mountain regions of the North Caucasus in 1961–2013

Annual and seasonal series of temperature values are analyzed using the data of Akhty, Teberda, and Terskol weather stations (the height above the sea level is >1000 m) for 1961-2013 as well as from 1976 to 2013 in order to reveal changes in the mountain climate in the period of contemporary global warming. Mean values, standard deviations, norms, and anomalies of annual and seasonal values of temperature as well as the rate of their variation in the mentioned periods are obtained. It is found that the temperature rise is observed in all seasons and for the year as a whole at the mountain weather stations except Terskol station. According to the results of studying temperature variability, Akhty and Teberda weather stations were united into the group “mountain weather stations” with the subsequent averaging of climatic variables. Terskol weather station was singled out as an independent high-mountain weather station.     

Analysis of climatic trends in data from the agrometeorological station of Bologna-Cadriano, Italy (1952–2007)

Agriculture is highly exposed to climate change, as farming activities directly depend on climatic conditions. Knowledge of the extent of such change and of related phenomena will help to answer the questions posed by society about adaptation strategies. The global situation is well described by the Fourth IPCC assessment report (IPCC 2007), but local studies are important to understand the impact and the priorities to adopt in adaptation strategies. In this study a historical set of meteorological data, collected during the period 1952–2007 at the University of Bologna (Italy) agrometeorological station, was analysed. Several indexes, such as Frost Severity Index, number of hot days, number of rainy days, etc., were calculated, and their trends in time were analysed. The results show a scenario of increasing temperatures and evapotranspiration, a decrease in rainy days and a deepening of the watertable. The effect of these changes on agriculture will be a decrease in water availability, an increase in heat stress in plants and an increase in drought risk.     

Statistical distributions of daily rainfall regime in Europe for the period 1951–2000

Amount and time distributions, X and Y, of daily rain amounts in Europe along the second half of 20th century have been studied from 267 rain gauge records. Different geographical features, such as latitude, vicinity to Mediterranean Sea or the Atlantic Ocean or altitude above sea level, cause the averages of daily rain and annual number of rainy days to vary within a wide range. The largest daily percentiles of amount and time distributions are reached at latitudes south of 50°N and in southwestern Norway. The amount of distribution, X, is well-modelled by the exponential function, with parameters derived from probability graphs. Time distributions, Y, are well-fitted by Pearson type III (Gamma) and Weibull models, their parameters being estimated by L-moments. Normalised rainfall curves (NRC) have been modelled by the analytical function $ X = Y \cdot \exp \left\{ { - b{{\left( {1 - Y} \right)}^c}} \right\} $ , with b and c parameters depicting spatial variability. Alternatively, the beta distribution also describes quite well the empirical NRCs, with parameters estimated by statistical moments. The coordinates of the average daily amount (X _r , Y _r ) and the values of X ^* and Y ^* , which are defined as the fraction of rain amount for a half of rainy days and the fraction of number of rainy days accounting for a half of total rain amount, respectively, depict very similar spatial distribution throughout Europe. In fact, X _r and X ^* keep a linear relationship, as well as Y _r and Y ^* , the four coordinates depending on the coefficient of variation of daily rain amounts. A similar linear relationship is found for the pair (X ^* , Y ^* ). Finally, the Average Linkage algorithm applied to the coordinates X _r , Y _r , X ^* and Y ^* characterising every one of the 267 NRCs permits to group the rain gauges into several spatial clusters, each of them related to a different normalised daily pluviometric regime.     

Warming of intermediate layers in the upper Oyashio in 1953–2007

Considerable variations in intermediate water characteristics were found in the upper Oyashio based on the oceanographic data from 1953 to 2007. The long-term temperature trend at the 26.75σ_? isopycnal is 0.03°C/year. This temperature trend is considerably higher than that determined earlier for the Sea of Okhotsk intermediate water and much higher than the World Ocean temperature trend. The westward transport of warm and salty water of the Alaskan Stream is most likely to cause the changes in the Kamchatka Current and upper Oyashio. It is established that Aleutian mesoscale eddies move westward from the location of their formation south of the Blizhniy Strait and transport warm water (3.8–4.2°C) in their core (100–600 m, ～26.75σ_?)). As the trajectory of eddies is quite stable, the westward flow of warm and salty intermediate waters considerably influences the upper Oyashio characteristics.     

Trends in precipitation parameters in the climate zones of southern Russia (1961–2011)

The data of 19 weather stations for 1961-2011 on total and maximum daily precipitation for the plain (<500 m above the sea level), foothill (500-1000 m), and mountain (1000-2000 m) zones of the south of European Russia are used for analyzing the precipitation regime, investigating its trends, revealing the extremes, and making conclusions on zonal seasonal and annual variations in precipitation.     

Trends and variability of cloud fraction cover in the Arctic, 1982–2009

Climatology, trends and variability of cloud fraction cover (CFC) data over the Arctic (north of 70°N), were analysed over the 1982–2009 period. Data, available from the Climate Monitoring Satellite Application Facility (CM SAF), are derived from satellite measurements by AVHRR. Climatological means confirm permanent high CFC values over the Atlantic sector during all the year and during summer over the eastern Arctic Ocean. Lower values are found in the rest of the analysed area especially over Greenland and the Canadian Archipelago, nearly continuously during all the months. These results are confirmed by CFC trends and variability. Statistically significant trends were found during all the months over the Greenland Sea, particularly during the winter season (negative, less than ?5?%?dec ^?1) and over the Beaufort Sea in spring (positive, more than +5?%?dec ^?1). CFC variability, investigated by the Empirical Orthogonal Functions, shows a substantial “non-variability” in the Northern Atlantic Ocean. Statistically significant correlations between CFC principal components elements and both the Pacific Decadal Oscillation index and Pacific North America patterns are found.     

近57年江苏省雷暴变化趋势特征分析

利用江苏省1951—2007年雷暴资料,采用气候倾向率、小波分析和保证率等气候诊断方法,探讨江苏省近57年雷暴的气候变化趋势、周期性特征、时空分布规律和不同保证率下初终期分布。结果表明:江苏省雷暴日数年际变化整体呈减少趋势,主要表现在夏季和秋季雷暴日数的减少。而春季的多年变化不明显。江苏省每10年雷暴日数减少约2天。在年代际变化中,年雷暴日数明显的正距平期主要分布在1960年代初、1960年代末—1970年代初中期,1980年代后期、1990年代后期。负距平期主要出现于1970年代后期—1980年代中期、1990年代中后期和1990年代后期—本世纪初期。不同保证率下雷暴初日、终日存在明显地区差异,50%保证率下雷暴初日(终日)在3月中旬—4月上旬(9月上旬—下旬),80%保证率下雷暴初日(终日)在3月下旬—5月上旬(10月上旬—下旬)。在周期分布上,江苏8～10 a以上的周期都相对比较稳定且具有全域性,而相对较短的周期一般都不具有全域性,从长周期分析江苏地区近几年年雷暴日数各地均处于偏多的周期内。     

我国华南江南春季雷暴气候特征分析

基于我国华南江南地区274个基本地面气象观测站数据、全国闪电定位数据以及欧洲中心的全球大气再分析数据(ERA-Interim),对1981—2017年华南江南地区的春季雷暴日采用经验正交函数分解方法(EOF),并与气象要素场做回归分析。得出以下主要结论:(1)我国华南江南地区春季雷暴活动高发区主要在广西东部至广东西部;其高峰期在下午18:00和凌晨4:00左右,且大多数雷暴活动持续时间不超过3 h;山区雷暴活动主要在傍晚至夜间;平原雷暴活动主要在白天,高峰在17:00及06:00前后;(2)华南江南地区的雷暴活动存在着3~5年的短周期和16年左右的长周期变化;(3)雷暴日距平EOF分析的前3个主成分累计方差贡献达到72.3%。按其向量场的方差贡献分型,Ⅰ型表现为华南江南雷暴活跃特征呈现较统一的变化规律。深厚西南低涡槽前、上干下湿的水汽层结、上冷下暖的温度层结为华南江南地区发生大范围雷暴天气提供良好的动力、水汽和位势不稳定条件,是华南江南雷暴活跃异常的主要模态;Ⅱ型表现为从华南南部到江西与浙江南部有一条西南-东北向、下宽上窄的雷暴活跃正距平异常区,而两侧为负距平异常区。其环流特征表现为温度整层偏冷,水汽整层偏湿,而西南槽前动力抬升有利于水汽抬升凝结触发对流形成雷暴;Ⅲ型表现为华南和江南地区雷暴活跃特征呈南北反位相异常,其分界线在26 °N附近。其环流特征表现为较强的干冷空气南下与南方暖湿空气在南岭山区对峙形成异常的垂直环流圈。在其上升支,低层干冷空气被卷入中高层使得中高层暖湿空气凝结释放潜热形成对流,造成华南地区多雷暴发生,而江南地区处于垂直环流的下沉支,整层湿度偏干,造成江南地区雷暴相对偏少。      

CALCULATING STUDY OF ELECTRIC FIELD ACTING ON VORTICITY IN THUNDERSTORMS

Based on electric parameters measured in actual storms and considering that charges distribute along anaxisymmetric cylinder, in this paper the changing rates of vertical electric vorticity with time in shear and anvil stormsare calculated respectively, The results indicate that the changing rate of vertical electric vorticity with time caused byelectric field force is about 10~(-8)—10~(-7) / s~2 in shear storms. For stronger electrified clouds, it can reach 10~(-6)—10~(-5) /s~2 inlocal area and be almost matched with the action of dynamics. The magnitude is larger at storm bottom and decreaseswith height. The electric energy concentrates mainly in middle and low layers of a storm. The results are same as in anvilstorms, but the magnitude is an order smaller. Meanwhile, the results also indicate that the convective motion of chargedhydrometeor particles due to electric field force can form horizontal vortex of air current. The electric circulation is animportant factor.     

中国南方冰雹气候特征的三维EOF分析

根据我国南方61个气象观测站1956～1995年月冰雹日数资料,应用三维EOF和小波统计分析方法,研究了冰雹的主要空间分布类型、季节变化特征、年际变化和年代际变化规律。结果表明:我国南方多冰雹带位于云贵至中南地区的湖南、江西,并向北、向东南逐步递减,最大值出现在贵州兴仁;我国南方冰雹季节变化显著,春季2～5月份为多冰雹季节,其中3月份出现最大值。冬半年(10月～次年5月)冰雹主要活动于南区(25～30 N、115 E 以西地区),夏半年(6～9月)冰雹主要活动于北区(30 N以北地区);近40年来冰雹总趋势是逐渐减少的,具有28年、14年、8～9年、5年和3.5～4年左右的周期震荡,并且10年以下周期具有50～60年代以3.5～4年周期为主,70年代以8～9年、3.5～4年周期为主,80年代以8～9年、5年、3.5～4年周期为主,90年代以8～9年、5年周期为主的年代际变化规律。     

海南省四十年来气候变化的多时间尺度分析

利用Morlet子波变换对海南省16个站1961—2000年的逐月平均气温和降水资料进行小波分析，结果表明：二维小波系数图可以清楚地显示出气候变化在不同时间尺度上的演变特征，并能对未来的气候演变趋势作出定性估计。小波方差图显示海南省逐月平均气温存在1．3—5．3年、7．5—10．7年的显著周期；逐月降水存在1．3—7．5年、10．7—21.3年的显著周期。气温和降水在不同时间尺度上的小波系数变化曲线图揭示了气候的长期和短期变化趋势有很大不同。     

SPATIOTEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION CHARACTERISTICS AND VARIATION TRENDS OF HIERARCHICAL PRECIPITATION IN GUANGDONG PROVINCE OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS

The climatic characteristics of the precipitation in Guangdong province over the past 50 years were analyzed based on the daily rainfall datasets of 86 stations from 1961 to 2010. The rainfall was divided into five categories according to its intensity, and their spatiotemporal characteristics and variation trends were investigated. The annual rainfall amount was within 1,500 to 2,000 mm over most parts of Guangdong, but substantial differences of rainfall amount and rainy days were found among different parts of the province. There were many rainy days in the dry seasons (October to March), but the daily rainfall amounts are small. The rainy seasons (April to September) have not only many rainy days but also heavy daily rainfall amounts. The spatial distributions of light rainy days (1 mm 100 mm) are generally concentrated in three regions, Qingyuan, Yangjiang, and Haifeng/Lufeng. The average rainfall amount for rainy days increases form the north to the south of Guangdong, while decreasing as the rainfall intensity increases. The contributions from light, moderate and heavy rain to the total rainfall decreases form the north to the south. The annual rainy days show a decreasing trend in the past 50 years. The light rainy days decreased significantly while the heavy, rainstorm and downpour rainy days increased slightly. The annual total rainfall amount increased over the past 50 years, which was contributed by heavy, rainstorm and downpour rains, while the contribution from light and moderate rains decreased.     

江苏一次夏季强雷暴天气过程的综合分析

本文对2002年8月24日江苏的一次强雷暴天气进行了热力参数和动力学诊断分析,并结合多普勒雷达回波和红外卫星云图进行综合分析,结果表明,这次强雷暴处于地面高能量场中,而在垂直方向上与锋生函数、假相当位温、涡度散度的某些分布特征有较好的对应关系;在多普勒雷达回波图上表现强回波带的相互合并加强并形成较为典型的弓形回波;在卫星云图上MCS云团相互合并成典型的圆形,尺度较大,亮温较低,导致了强雷暴天气的发生。     

江苏省日照时数的气候特征分析

利用江苏省内66个气象站1960—1999年日照时数实测资料,分析了江苏省日照时数的气候变化趋势。结果表明,就整个江苏省平均而言,尽管在1960—1999年期间,省内年平均温度升高了0.6℃,但日照时数却呈明显的下降趋势;20世纪80—90年代年平均日照时数较60—70年代的平均值下降了164.7 h,下降幅度为7.35%;日照时数的下降主要表现在夏季和冬季,秋季和春季不明显;对日照时数气候变化的空间分析表明,局部地区与整个省域的气候变化趋势并不完全同步,大部分地区是下降的,个别地区则是上升的。     

甘肃省近40 a汛期无雨日数异常的气候特征分析

本文利用1960-2001年甘肃省59个气象站的逐日降水资料，统计出汛期(4～9月)各站无雨日数，分析了甘肃汛期无雨日数的基本时空分布特征，并对其标准化后进行经验正交展开(EOF)和旋转经验正交展开(REOF)，研究其异常的空间结构及时间演变规律。结果表明；甘肃省汛期无雨日数自东南向西北呈台阶状增加，甘肃汛期无雨日数异常在空间上表现为一致的增多或减少。旋转载荷向量场(RVL)反映出5个无雨日数异常型。旋转主分量(RPC)揭示了42a甘肃汛期无雨日数的时间演变特征，即甘肃中部、陇南、甘南区无雨日数经历了少～多～少的过程，河西为多～少～多的反抛物线型，气候向更干旱化发展，而陇东元雨日数增加趋势较为明显。     

江苏省近百年汛期旱涝变化的诊断分析

本文应用历史气候资料和现代降水记录,对近百年来汛期江苏省各区域各年代进行旱涝诊断分析,采用滑动平均方法探讨其变化趋势,并用最大搞谱方法提取显著周期。得出以下三个比较有意义的结论：（1）近百年来,汛期全省较易发生旱的灾害,20－30年代为旱灾濒发期;（2）淮北地区近年有向早年发展的趋势,江淮之间及苏南地区进入90年代以来向旱年发展的趋势则愈来愈明显;（3）全省具有2－3年、5－6年的旱涝周期。