The Link Between from Day to Day Change of Weather Types and Synoptic Situations in Kraków During the Period 1961–2010

Katarzyna Piotrowicz,Joanna Szlagor

doi:10.2478/quageo-2013-0023

Abstract

Abstract This paper analyses day-to-day changes of weather types and links these with synoptic situations, i.e. circulation types, air masses and weather fronts. The weather types were classified according to Woś (1999), while a calendar proposed by Niedźwiedź (2013) was used for synoptic situations. Weather records from Kraków were used covering the period 1961-2010. The frequency of all combinations of day-to-day weather type changes was calculated, identified using specific values of air temperature, cloudiness and precipitation. The analysis of the succession and frequency of the day-to-day changes was linked with the synoptic situations accompanying the change. It was found that the thermal weather types were relatively very stable and remained unchanged on the following day in 61.3% of cases, and that the synoptic situation also remained similar. Weather subtypes, identified with just cloudiness and precipitation, but not temperature, displayed much more day-to-day change in terms of frequency and scale. Synoptically it was the air mass change and/or the occurrence of atmospheric fronts, which tended to cause day-to-day weather type changes, while the impact of circulation was not always clear. Particular attention was devoted to sudden weather type changes caused primarily by dramatic air temperature fluctuations.

Highlights

Complex climatology defines climate as a “long-term pattern of local weather manifested as a certain order of occurrence of all weather types observed in a given area” (Chubukov 1962)
This study aimed to evaluate the influence of the synoptic situation on day-to-day weather changes in Kraków during the period 1961–2010
Day-to-day changes of the thermal types, subtypes and full weather types were linked with types of circulation, air masses and atmospheric fronts in accordance with a classification devised by Niedźwiedź (2013)

Summary

Introduction

Complex climatology defines climate as a “long-term pattern of local weather manifested as a certain order of occurrence of all weather types observed in a given area” (Chubukov 1962). Linking day-to-day weather changes with synoptic situations (i.e. atmospheric circulation, air masses and fronts) offers valuable insights in many aspects of science, whether in terms of methodology or pure and applied research. Few studies are available linking a comprehensive approach to weather with circulation types (Bogucki, Woś 1994, Kaszewski 1984, 1992, Nagórska 1998, Niedźwiedź 1981, 1983, 1988, Więcław 2004) This approach tends to be inherently complex, including from a methodological point of view. The frequency of day-to-day weather type changes was calculated and linked to the synoptic situation (circulation type, air mass and atmospheric front) on that day. A simple method proposed for the analysis of the dayto-day weather change linked to synoptic situations brought interesting insights into short-term weather variability in the study area. The link between from day to day change of weather types and synoptic situations

Source material

Day-to-day change of thermal weather types

Day-to-day change of weather subtypes

Day-to-day change of weather types

Findings

Summary and conclusion