Modelling climate types in South Pannonian Basin, Serbia by applying the Köppen–Geiger climate classification

Abstract

Vegetation cover as a part of the Earth’s climate system (ECS) has a significant role in energy exchange between the land cover and the atmosphere, because of significant influence in explanation of weather and climatic patterns on a regional and global level. One of the most commonly used climatic classifications where the formation, prevailing and widespread type of the vegetation cover on land cover is used as a frame for the definition of climatic indicators and condition in ECS is the Koppen–Geiger climate classification. In our research, we will use numerical simulation data from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 project to explain how climate conditions changed and will continue to change during the period from 1950 to 2100 in the Pannonian Basin. The control period from 1961 to 1990, which we will use to define deviation of the numerical simulations from an approximately real state, will be defined using the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts reanalysis data for near-surface air temperature and precipitation from the Global Precipitation Climatology Centre. We will show how Koppen–Geiger climate types are changing by changing the near-surface air temperature and precipitation and whether a change in vegetation cover accompanies this change. Reduction of vegetation should lead to intensifying of climate hazards such as reduced rainfall and increasing surface temperatures. We will also compare the climate types obtained from the measured data from the Global Meteorological Stations in the southern region of the Pannonian Basin that includes the frame of Northern Serbia.