Influence of Atmospheric Circulation on Cloudiness and Cloud Types in Petuniabukta and Svalbard-Lufthavn in Summer 2016

Leszek Kolendowicz,Marek Półrolniczak,Katarzyna Szyga-Pluta,Sebastian Kendzierski,Kamil Láska

doi:10.3390/atmos12060724

Leszek Kolendowicz, Marek Półrolniczak + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12060724

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Abstract

The paper analyzes the influence of atmospheric circulation on cloudiness and cloud types during July and August of 2016 in Petuniabukta and Svalbard-Lufthavn. For the meteorological parameters, basic statistical measures were calculated and the average diurnal cloud patterns were analyzed. Taking the data from meteorological reanalysis (NCEP/NCAR-The National Centers for Atmospheric Prediction/The National Center for Atmospheric Research) regarding the mean sea-level pressure (SLP), 500 hPa geopotential height, and air temperature at 850 hPa (T850), composite maps of the synoptic situation for the studied area were constructed. For the observed types of clouds, the frequency of their occurrence in particular types of atmospheric circulation was then determined according to the Niedźwiedź classification. Differences in the amount of cloudiness in the examined measuring points were ascertained. The occurrence of cloud types is associated with both the direction of air mass advection and type of circulation. The results may also indicate the possibility of influence from specific, local environmental features on cloudiness.

Highlights

Clouds contribute to the environment through a variety of physical processes, playing a significant role over many spatial scales, and providing both liquid and solid forms of precipitation
Cloud cover, along with its size and type, depends on many meteorological factors, changes in which belong to factors that determine climate change according to the IPCC 2007 report [2]
On the basis of the information contained in the SYNOP meteorological reports from Svalbard-Lufthavn, a comparison of the level of cloudiness with the observations carried out in Petuniabukta was made

Summary

Introduction

Clouds contribute to the environment through a variety of physical processes, playing a significant role over many spatial scales, and providing both liquid and solid forms of precipitation. Cloudiness is one of the most important meteorological elements that reflect the state of the atmosphere, and is largely shaped by the influence of circulation factors [3]. Research into cloudiness in the polar regions, an issue affected by some very serious climate changes, is of great importance to the understanding of climate processes on a global scale [4]. That makes it crucial to obtain up-to-date (further) information on the spatial and temporal variation of cloudiness and atmospheric circulation at high latitudes—in places such as Svalbard

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