Recovering Climate Data from Documentary Sources: A Study on the Climate in the South of Spain from 1792 to 1808

Fernando S Rodrigo

doi:10.3390/atmos11030296

Abstract

This work analyses new climate data on Southern Spain during the period 1792–1808. The data source is the periodical Correo Mercantil de España y sus Indias (Mercantile Mail of Spain and the Spanish Indies), which published weekly summaries of the weather conditions in Spain over this period. The study focuses on the southern provinces, providing 2788 new records, some of them corresponding to areas with no previously recorded data (Córdoba, Jaén). The analysis indicates the predominance of cold and dry winters, cold and wet springs, warm and dry summers, and variable autumn conditions, cold and humid in the western provinces while warm and dry in the eastern provinces. Some examples of these situations are discussed.

Highlights

The period 1790–1830 is called the Dalton Minimum of solar activity [1]
The main objective of this work was to present an initial analysis of the climate data recorded in the CMEI during the period 1792–1808 relating to the south of the Iberian Peninsula (IP)
This short period is interesting because it includes the Dalton Minimal of solar activity

Summary

Introduction

The period 1790–1830 is called the Dalton Minimum of solar activity [1]. During this period, there was intense volcanic activity [2]. There was intense volcanic activity [2] It is a historical moment when natural radiative forcing could have significantly affected the global climate [3]. The Mediterranean Basin, and in particular the Iberian Peninsula (IP), have been recognized as areas vulnerable to climate change [4]. The study of the IP climate during a period of natural climate change such as the Dalton Minimum is interesting

Objectives

Discussion

Conclusion