Influence of solar activity on winter temperatures: New climatological evidence

Winter temperatures in the Netherlands for the period 1634–1977 (344 years) have been analysed for the years in odd and even solar cycles separately. It is found that on average the odd-cycle years have lower and more variable winter temperatures than the even-cycle years. The indicated differences are statistically significant and show up in the 17th and 18th as well as in the more recent centuries. Most probably the effect is caused by an observed slight difference in the preferred location (Iceland or Scandinavia) of North Atlantic pressure systems in alternate solar cycles.