Changing trends of thermal extremes in Pakistan

Extreme events have gained considerable scientific attention recently due to their potentially catastrophic impacts. Heat waves are thought to be more pronounced now in most parts of the world, and especially in South Asia, but doubts remain. The aim of this study is to calculate the frequency and intensity of heat waves in South Asia, focusing on Pakistan and identifying the regions within Pakistan that are most vulnerable to heat waves. Analyses have been performed both at provincial and country levels from 1961 to 2009. The provincial level analysis shows positive trends for heat waves of magnitudes ≥40°C and ≥45°C for 5 and 7 consecutive days. Events of magnitude ≥40°C and ≥45°C for 10 consecutive days also increased in frequency in Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan. These regions are therefore considered to be the regions most vulnerable to heat wave events in Pakistan. The Balochistan region shows a consistently increasing trend throughout the study period, which may lead to more frequent drought in the future. The country level analysis indicates an increase in the frequency of 5 and 7 consecutive days heat waves at all defined temperature thresholds. The 10-days heat waves spells show a slight increase at ≥40°C and no significant change at ≥45°C. The Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir areas reported no events at ≥45°C for 5, 7 and 10 continuous days. It is anticipated that with a long term rise in temperatures around the globe, heat waves will become more frequent and intense in all parts of the world, including Pakistan.     

On the evaluation of temperature trends in the tropical troposphere

A series of model experiments with the coupled Max-Planck-Institute ECHAM5/OM climate model have been investigated and compared with microwave measurements from the Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU) and re-analysis data for the period 1979?C2008. The evaluation is carried out by computing the Temperature in the Lower Troposphere (TLT) and Temperature in the Middle Troposphere (TMT) using the MSU weights from both University of Alabama (UAH) and Remote Sensing Systems (RSS) and restricting the study to primarily the tropical oceans. When forced by analysed sea surface temperature the model reproduces accurately the time-evolution of the mean outgoing tropospheric microwave radiation especially over tropical oceans but with a minor bias towards higher temperatures in the upper troposphere. The latest reanalyses data from the 25?year Japanese re-analysis (JRA25) and European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasts Interim Reanalysis are in very close agreement with the time-evolution of the MSU data with a correlation of 0.98 and 0.96, respectively. The re-analysis trends are similar to the trends obtained from UAH but smaller than the trends from RSS. Comparison of TLT, computed from observations from UAH and RSS, with Sea Surface Temperature indicates that RSS has a warm bias after 1993. In order to identify the significance of the tropospheric linear temperature trends we determined the natural variability of 30-year trends from a 500?year control integration of the coupled ECHAM5 model. The model exhibits natural unforced variations of the 30?year tropospheric trend that vary within ±0.2?K/decade for the tropical oceans. This general result is supported by similar results from the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) coupled climate model. Present MSU observations from UAH for the period 1979?C2008 are well within this range but RSS is close to the upper positive limit of this variability. We have also compared the trend of the vertical lapse rate over the tropical oceans assuming that the difference between TLT and TMT is an approximate measure of the lapse rate. The TLT?CTMT trend is larger in both the measurements and in the JRA25 than in the model runs by 0.04?C0.06?K/decade. Furthermore, a calculation of all 30?year TLT?CTMT trends of the unforced 500-year integration vary between ±0.03?K/decade suggesting that the models have a minor systematic warm bias in the upper troposphere.     

中国地面气温变化趋势中的城市化影响偏差

在中国大陆2300个气象台站网中遴选出138个参考站,对614个国家级气象站和138个参考站1961 2004年的月平均气温资料进行了非均一性检验和订正,利用REOF(旋转主分量)分析方法,按照气温变率空间相关特点将中国大陆划分为6大区域,并采用经纬度网格面积加权平均法分别建立了中国大陆及其6大区域平均的国家站和参考站的月、季、年地面气温时间序列,对国家站和参考站序列进行了对比分析。结果表明,由国家站资料建立的中国大陆年平均气温序列在44年间线性增温率为0.278 C/10 a,而由参考站资料建立的中国大陆年平均气温序列同期增温率为0.202℃/10 a。就中国大陆平均来说,1961 2004年国家级站城市化增温率为0.076 C/10 a,占全部增温率的27.33%。在6大区域中,除北疆区外,其他地区年平均城市化增温率均非常显著。其中城市化影响最大的地区是江淮区,年平均热岛增温率为0.086℃/10 a,其后依次为东北华北区、青藏高原区、华南区和西北区,年平均热岛增温率分别达到0.060、0.059、0.042和0.042℃/10 a。各区域年平均热岛增温贡献率由大到小排列依次为江淮区55.48%、青藏高原区23.23%、华南区23.20%、东北华北区15.35%、西北区13.73%、北疆区-1.57%。因此,中国大陆20世纪60年代初以来城市化造成的国家站地面气温增暖偏差非常显著,今后应予以订正,以便建立代表背景气候变化的区域平均气温序列。     

Inference about trends in global temperature data

Interpretation of the effects of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide on temperature is made more difficult by the fact that it is unclear whether sufficient global warming has taken place to allow a statistically significant finding of any upward trend in the temperature series. We add to the few existing statistical results by reporting tests for both deterministic and stochastic non-stationarity (trends) in time series of global average temperature. We conclude that the statistical evidence is sufficient to reject the hypothesis of a stochastic trend; however, there is evidence of a trend which could be approximated by a deterministic linear model.The authors are grateful to the SSHRC (Green) and FCAR (Galbraith) for financial support under grants 10-89-0205 and NC-0047.     

Observed trends in diurnal temperature range over Nigeria

本文基于站点观测及再分析资料,考察了1979–2013年期间尼日利亚不同地区温度日较差(DTR)的变化趋势及其可能原因。结果表明,尼日利亚北部萨赫勒地区(NSR)日最低温的增温趋势显著大于日最高温增加的趋势,导致该区域DTR呈显著下降趋势(–0.34°C/10年);而在南部几内亚湾地区(NGC),区域平均日最高温度增加趋势略大于最低温度的增加趋势,导致该区域平均DTR呈微弱上升趋势(0.01°C/10年)。NSR区域显著的DTR下降趋势与该地区降水量呈长期增加趋势密切相关,而NGC区域DTR的增加趋势则可归因于该地区云量存在的长期减少趋势。     

The identification of distinct patterns in California temperature trends

Regional changes in California surface temperatures over the last 80 years are analyzed using station data from the US Historical Climate Network and the National Weather Service Cooperative Network. Statistical analyses using annual and seasonal temperature data over the last 80 years show distinctly different spatial and temporal patterns in trends of maximum temperature (Tmax) compared to trends of minimum temperature (Tmin). For trends computed between 1918 and 2006, the rate of warming in Tmin is greater than that of Tmax. Trends computed since 1970 show an amplified warming rate compared to trends computed from 1918, and the rate of warming is comparable between Tmin and Tmax. This is especially true in the southern deserts, where warming trends during spring (March?CMay) are exceptionally large. While observations show coherent statewide positive trends in Tmin, trends in Tmax vary on finer spatial and temporal scales. Accompanying the observed statewide warming from 1970 to 2006, regional cooling trends in Tmax are observed during winter and summer. These signatures of regional temperature change suggest that a collection of different forcing mechanisms or feedback processes must be present to produce these responses.     

On accumulation of water substance in a column of rising air

Abstract

The accumulation of condensed water in moist rising air is discussed in relation to the ratio of the air speed co the fall speed of precipitation. The maximum ultimate accumulation occurs when that ratio is near unity; the duration of a transient phase is proportional to the inverse of the fall speed of precipitation when updraft are weak, and to the inverse of air speed when the air speed is moderate or strong. The kinematic framework presented has dynamical implications that help explain some behaviour of showers and storms.     

Air temperature trends in Georgia under global warming conditions

Air temperature trends under conditions of global warming are studied using the observational data from 87 meteorological stations of Georgia for the period of 1936–2011. Plotted are the geographic information maps of the spatial structure of temperature variation rate.     

Spuriously induced temperature trends in the Southeast United States

Summary This study uses correlation and multiple regression techniques to document differences in annual temperature trends between the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) Climate Division Database (CDD) and the United States Historical Climate Network (USHCN) for the Southeast United States. Results indicate that an increase (decrease) in elevation and a northward (southward) shift in mean station location in the CDD correspond with decreases (increases) in temperature. Although the movement of station locations in the CDD showed only modest impacts on trends, the effects of the movements are statistically significant, and explain some of the variances in the temperature trends. Results therefore suggest that climate divisions with more rugged terrain and greater shifts in elevation are more susceptible to spuriously generated trends.     

Snow-albedo feedback and Swiss spring temperature trends

We quantify the effect of the snow-albedo feedback on Swiss spring temperature trends using daily temperature and snow depth measurements from six station pairs for the period 1961?C2011. We show that the daily mean 2-m temperature of a spring day without snow cover is on average 0.4?°C warmer than one with snow cover at the same location. This estimate is comparable with estimates from climate modelling studies. Caused by the decreases in snow pack, the snow-albedo feedback amplifies observed temperature trends in spring. The influence is small and confined to areas around the upward-moving snow line in spring and early summer. For the 1961?C2011 period, the related temperature trend increases are in the order of 3?C7?% of the total observed trend.     

Day-of-the-week variations of urban temperature and their long-term trends in Japan

Temperature differences among days of the week and their long-term trends were evaluated using 29 years of hourly data from the Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System network of Japan. Stations were categorized with respect to the population density around each site, and an urban temperature anomaly (δT*) was defined as a departure from the spatial average of nearby rural stations. On Saturdays and holidays (Sundays and national holidays), δT* was lower than on weekdays by 0.2–0.25°C at Tokyo, by 0.1–0.2°C at Osaka, and by about 0.02°C at stations where the population density was 300 to 1,000 km^–2. Moreover, δT* showed a relative decreasing trend over the long term on Mondays and an increasing trend on Fridays, at a rate of about 0.05–0.1°C decade^–1 at Tokyo and about 0.02°C decade^–1 at stations where the population density was 100 to 1,000 km^–2, but no significant difference in δT* trends was observed between weekdays and weekend days.     

Some recent trends in precipitation in Western Canada and their possible link to rising carbon dioxide: Research note

Abstract

Observations of the changes in mean annual and seasonal precipitation with time in British Columbia and western Alberta between the periods 1931–60 and 1951–80 indicate that more stations show an increase than a decrease. Changes tend to be positive on the coast, negative in south‐central British Columbia, positive on the west slopes of the Rockies, and negative to the east. This suggests an orographic influence and increased flow from the southwest at mountain‐top.

The possibility that these changes in precipitation are associated with CO₂ warming is considered.

Both the surface air temperature and sea surface temperature were raised by 2°C for cyclogenesis events over the northeastern Pacific and the consequences were investigated with the aid of a limited‐area, 8‐level primitive equations model. The lows are deepened by as much as 6 mb and precipitation amounts are increased up to 8 mm owing to the increased mixing ratio and the feedback of latent heat energy.     

Probable causes of late twentieth century tropospheric temperature trends

We assess the most probable causes of late twentieth century (1960–1994) tropospheric temperature changes. Optimal detection techniques are used to compare observed spatio-temporal patterns of near-surface and tropospheric temperature change with results from experiments performed with two different versions of the Hadley Centre climate model. We detect anthropogenic forcings, particularly well-mixed greenhouse-gases, with a less certain sulfate aerosol cooling influence. More limited evidence exists for a detectable volcanic influence. Our principal results do not depend upon the choice of model. Both models, but particularly HadCM3, appear to overestimate the simulated climate response to greenhouse gases (especially at the surface) and volcanoes. This result may arise, at least in part, due to errors in the forcings (especially sulfate) and technical details of our approach, which differs from previous studies. We use corrected and uncorrected versions of the radiosonde record to assess sensitivity of our detection results to observational uncertainties. We find that previous corrections applied to the radiosonde temperature record are likely to have been sub-optimal in only taking into account temporal consistency. However, the choice of corrected or uncorrected version has no systematic effect upon our main conclusions. We show that both models are potentially internally consistent explanations of observed tropospheric temperatures.     

近60年中国探空观测气温变化趋势及不确定性研究

基于118站探空资料研究了近60年中国850—100 hPa气温变化趋势及季节和区域特征,并通过与1979—2017年卫星微波气温的对比研究了中国探空气温均一化的不确定性。研究表明,1958—2017年中国平均对流层气温呈上升趋势,300 hPa升温最为显著,平流层下层（100 hPa）为降温趋势。冬季对流层上层升温趋势和夏季平流层下层降温趋势较强。1979—2017年较整个时段对流层升温趋势较强,平流层下层降温趋势较弱。青藏高原和西北地区对流层上层升温趋势较强。通过与卫星微波气温和邻近探空站探空气温的对比以及均一化前后日夜气温差值检测出中国探空均一化气温仍残存非均一性问题。由于参照序列的局限性,均一化未能完全去除21世纪最初10年中国探空系统变化造成的对流层中、上层至平流层下层气温系统性下降的影响,导致中国对流层上层升温趋势被低估和平流层下层降温趋势被高估。未来可通过参考卫星微波气温和邻近探空站序列调整非均一性订正顺序并增加合理性检验等方法改进中国探空气温均一化方案。      

Shift changes and monotonic trends in autocorrelated temperature series over Iran

Temperature data from 29 synoptic stations in Iran for a period of 40?years (1966–2005) were analyzed to test for the existence of monotonic trends and shift changes in the annual, seasonal, and monthly mean air temperature series using the Mann–Kendall and Mann–Whitney tests. The influences of significant lag-1 serial correlation were eliminated from data by the trend-free pre-whitening method prior to the trend analysis. The magnitude of the temperature trends was derived from the Theil–Sen’s slope estimator. It was found that annual mean air temperature increased at 25 out of the 29 stations, of which 17 stations showed significant monotonic trends. The magnitude of the annual mean air temperature trends averagely was (+)0.224°C per decade. Most of the stations with the significant positive monotonic trends had a significant upward shift change. The analysis indicated that the change point year of the significant upward shift changes was 1972 for the whole stations except the coastal ones. Moreover, the strongest monotonic increasing trends and upward shift changes were observed in summer especially in August and September. The spatial analysis of the mean air temperature trends revealed the highest numbers of significant monotonic trends in the big cities of Iran. These findings provide more insights for better understanding of regional temperature behavior in the study area.     

Wet-bulb,dew point,and air temperature trends in Spain

Theoretical and Applied Climatology - This study analyses trends of mean (T m), maximum (T x), minimum (T n), dew point (T d), and wet-bulb temperatures (T w) on an annual, seasonal, and monthly...     

Response of the water balance in Greece to temperature and precipitation trends

This paper deals with the most recent trends in meteorological and hydrological variables, which include air temperature and precipitation (P), potential and actual (ET) evapotranspiration, surface runoff (RO), water recharge into the soil (R) and water loss from the soil (L). Most hydrological variables were calculated via Palmer's algorithm. For this purpose, two rank-based statistical tests (the Mann?CKendall (MK) and a change-point analysis (CPA) approach) and the basic linear regression-based model were applied on the weekly precipitation and temperature from 17 stations all over Greece, during 1961?C2006. Only in winter, all variables except for R, which showed no clear signal, presented downward trends. The declining trends of P and L in spring and summer were counterbalanced by reductions in RO (and R in the case of summer) as opposed to increases in ET. In autumn, the declining tendencies of P and L were offset by RO reductions and R increases. Annually, the trends in water cycle components were analogous to that of spring, summer and autumn. The number of stations with statistically significant (at 95%) trends greatly varied with season and meteorological/hydrological variable.