Instrumental Meteorological Observations Research Articles

A tree ring-based spring temperature reconstruction for the Hindu Kush region in northern Pakistan

Annually resolved and absolutely dated proxy archives are necessary for contextualizing the rate and amplitude of anthropogenic climate change. High-resolution climate reconstructions are particularly important for remote regions where instrumental meteorological observations are limited in space and time. Here, we develop a robust, 260-year-long tree-ring width chronology from 32 Himalayan cedars (Cedrus deodara D. Don), which grew around 3000 m asl in the Kumrat Valley of the Hindu Kush region in northern Pakistan. Growth-climate response analyses reveal a significant negative correlation of -0.631 between our new standard chronology and March-April minimum temperatures (p < 0.001, n = 51). This inverse relationship between radial tree growth and early spring temperatures, together with positive correlations against precipitation totals at the onset of the growing season, suggest that warming-induced drought is the most limiting factor of sub-alpine forest growth in the Kumrat Valley. We then use the inverse growth-temperature association to reconstruct March-April minimum temperatures from 1812 to 2018 CE. The reconstruction explains 40 % of the instrumental record back to 1967, and exhibits the coldest and warmest spring conditions in 1815–1864 (6.67 ± 0.21°C) and 1918–1927 (8.11 ± 0.43°C), respectively. This pioneering study is indicative of the dendroclimatological potential in the Hindu Kush, where samples from living and relict trees of different species and elevational bands should be collected for advanced temperature and hydroclimate reconstructions.

PECULIARITIES OF DYNAMICS OF SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT OF WOODY PLANTS AT PETER THE GREAT BOTANIC GARDEN IN 2022

The article discusses the dynamics of the onset of phenological stages in 2022 and the features of the seasonal development of woody plants in the Botanical Garden of Peter the Great, depending on the weather conditions of winter and the subsequent growing season. The winter 2021/22 was normal on its duration (105 days) and comparatively mild. The coldest month was December (-7,5), with absolute minimum -23,1(26 December), not reaching the figures observed in the past (-34,7 ...10 January 1987). The frost damages of majority of trees and shrubs was absent or small, not more than half of annual growth. The peculiarity of season of 2022 was abnormally warm weather of the second half and the end of summer, with hot temperature in August: 20,6. This is the record for the whole period of instrumental meteorological observations since 1752. In such conditions the Autumn began as late as on the 10-th of September which is the record during 43-years monitoring since 1980. Apparently the warming of the climate of Saint-Petersburg is continuing and strengthening The autumnal season has the tendency to more late beginning and to enlarging of its duration. In such conditions the assortment of trees and shrubs promising on its winter hardiness for culture at the North-West of Russia is enlarging. There are more and more plants which were considered to be subtropical and indoor only, but nowadays successfully are winter hardy, produce flowers and fruits and may be successfully cultivated outdoor.

FEATURES OF THE DYNAMICS OF SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT OF NATURE IN SAINT PETERSBURG IN 2021

The abnormally warm and dry summer was the main feature of the year 2021. The average temperature of June (21,4) was the record for the whole period of instrumental meteorological observations since 1752. The phenological anomalies were evident first of all in the early dates of phenostages of the year, since the third stage of subseason "Height of Spring" till the first stage of subseason "Abatement of Summer", and especially very early dates of subseason of "Full Summer", which became the record or close to record ones. So, the warming of the climate of Saint Petersburg is continuing and strengthening. In such condition after the winter 2020/21 the majority of trees and shrubs in Peter the Great Botanic Garden (Saint Petersburg, Russia) survived the winter without damages or with small damages not more than half of annual growth. The summer drought, accompanied by hot weather, caused the early yellowing and falling of leaves on many trees and shrubs which happened to be not hardy to drought. The phenological monitoring and timely publishing of results of observations is of important significance in conditions of climatic changes.

Polyphony of Short-Term Climatic Variations

It is widely accepted to believe that humanity is mainly responsible for the worldwide temperature growth during the period of instrumental meteorological observations. This paper aims to demonstrate that it is not so simple. Using a wavelet analysis on the example of the time series of the global mean near-surface air temperature created at the American National Climate Data Center (NCDC), some complex structures of inter-annual to multidecadal global mean temperature variations were discovered. The origin of which seems to be better attributable to the Chandler wobble in the Earth’s Pole motion, the Luni-Solar nutation, and the solar activity cycles. Each of these external forces is individually known to climatologists. However, it is demonstrated for the first time that responses of the climate system to these external forces in their integrity form a kind of polyphony superimposed on a general warming trend. Certainly, the general warming trend as such remains to be unconsidered. However, its role is not very essential in the timescale of a few decades. Therefore, it is this polyphony that will determine climate evolution in the nearest future, i.e., during the time most important for humanity currently.

Searching for historical meteorological observations on the Island of Ireland

This research presents an inventory of 750 collections of historical documentary and instrumental meteorological observations registered in the Island of Ireland prior to the twentieth century, which require rescue. The inventory comprises references on the location of registers, metadata, data holders and data sources. The majority of registers remain as handwritten records or publications kept in various archives across Ireland and abroad or as online resources such as scanned newspapers. This inventory will aid future climate data rescue projects in Ireland.

Archive data on climate changes and seismic events in glacial clays of Lake Kucherla (Altai region, Russia)

Core samples taken from the bottom sediments of the glacial Lake Kucherla (Gorny Altai, Russia) clearly show annual layers represented by glacial clays. In our study, age-depth modeling is based the varve chronology and Cs-137, Pb-210 and C-14 isotope data. Our model is a highly accurate and reliable demonstration of the annual sedimentation history within the past 1400 years. The time series of geochemical indicators of climate change were obtained by synchrotron radiation micro X-ray fluorescence (SR- μ XRF) core scanning. Instrumental meteorological observations from 1940 to 2016 were used to construct transfer functions for the average annual temperatures and atmospheric precipitation amounts. A geochemical trace of a catastrophic seismic event, the Mongolian earthquake of 1761, was found in the cross-section of the bottom sediments.

Early instrumental meteorological observations in Switzerland: 1708–1873

Abstract. We describe a dataset of recently digitised meteorological observations from 40 locations in today's Switzerland, covering the 18th and 19th centuries. Three fundamental variables – temperature, pressure, and precipitation – are provided in a standard format after they have been converted into modern units and quality-controlled. The raw data produced by the digitisation, often including additional variables and annotations, are also provided. Digitisation was performed by manually typing the data from photographs of the original sources, which were in most cases handwritten weather diaries. These observations will be important for studying past climate variability in Central Europe and in the Alps, although the general scarcity of metadata (e.g. detailed information on the instruments and their exposure) implies that some caution is required when using them. The data described in this paper can be found at https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.909141 (Brugnara, 2020).

The climate in south-east Moravia, Czech Republic, 1803–1830, based on daily weather records kept by the Reverend Šimon Hausner

Abstract. Weather diaries constitute an important source of data for historical climatology, employed in the analysis of weather patterns for both the pre-instrumental and the early instrumental periods. Among the many weather diaries that exist in Europe, the daily records kept by the Reverend Šimon Hausner from Buchlovice in south-east Moravia (Czech Republic), covering the 1803–1831 period, are particularly useful. His qualitative daily weather descriptions enable the construction of series for temperature, precipitation, cloudiness, wind, and other weather phenomena (particularly thunderstorms and fogs), supplemented by a number of phenological and agricultural work records. His data related to temperature and precipitation patterns were quantified into a series of weighted temperature and precipitation indices on 7-degree scales, which were subsequently compared with standard meteorological observations from the secular meteorological station in Brno. This comparison indicates that Hausner's observations are highly reliable and confirms the importance of his data for a better understanding of the variability in the regional climate in the period of early instrumental measurements in Moravia. At the same time, it reveals the importance of weather-related documentary data in the overlap period with instrumental meteorological observations.

ОСОБЕННОСТИ СИНХРОНИЗАЦИИ ПОЛУШАРНЫХ ВАРИАЦИЙ ПРИПОВЕРХНОСТНОЙ ТЕМПЕРАТУРЫ В МАСШТАБАХ ДЕСЯТИЛЕТИЙ ПО ДАННЫМ ИНСТРУМЕНТАЛЬНЫХ НАБЛЮДЕНИЙ И ДАННЫМ МОДЕЛИРОВАНИЯ

Features of variations of the hemispheric surface air temperature and sea surface temperature are considered by means of a specially designed technique of the wavelet analysis (Vakulenko et al., 2004; 2016a; 2016b; 2017) as these are represented in time series of instrumental meteorological observations since the end of the 19th century so far. A strong phase synchronization of these variations between hemispheres and between the land and the sea in timescales of one, two, and six-seven decades is found as well as the absence of such synchronization in the intermediate timescales. It allows to think that the power spectrum of the temperature variations does not continuous in the considered range of timescales (from a year to about one century) as it could be expected if the considered variations were chaotic. This study was done in the frame of the State assignment 0149-2018-0002.

Towards a global land surface climate fiducial reference measurements network

There is overwhelming evidence that the climate system has warmed since the instigation of instrumental meteorological observations. The Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that the evidence for warming was unequivocal. However, owing to imperfect measurements and ubiquitous changes in measurement networks and techniques, there remain uncertainties in many of the details of these historical changes. These uncertainties do not call into question the trend or overall magnitude of the changes in the global climate system. Rather, they act to make the picture less clear than it could be, particularly at the local scale where many decisions regarding adaptation choices will be required, both now and in the future. A set of high‐quality long‐term fiducial reference measurements of essential climate variables will enable future generations to make rigorous assessments of future climate change and variability, providing society with the best possible information to support future decisions. Here we propose that by implementing and maintaining a suitably stable and metrologically well‐characterized global land surface climate fiducial reference measurements network, the present‐day scientific community can bequeath to future generations a better set of observations. This will aid future adaptation decisions and help us to monitor and quantify the effectiveness of internationally agreed mitigation steps. This article provides the background, rationale, metrological principles, and practical considerations regarding what would be involved in such a network, and outlines the benefits which may accrue. The challenge, of course, is how to convert such a vision to a long‐term sustainable capability providing the necessary well‐characterized measurement series to the benefit of global science and future generations.

Late-Holocene palaeoenvironments of Southern Crimea: Soils, soil-climate relationship and human impact

Occupying 4% of Crimea’s territory, the sub-Mediterranean landscapes of Southern Crimea stand out for their distinct soil-climatic conditions and record of human activity. This paper presents the results of study of the newly formed and well-dated soils from 21 archaeological sites, making it possible to build a soil chronosequence covering the last 2.3 ka. To study the natural processes on an intra-secular scale, short series of instrumental meteorological observations were extended, based on dendrochronological records, to a total of 160 years, and the time series of solar activity and energy for pedogenesis were correlated. These data are collated with a 4.2-ka Lake Saki varve record, which was re-analysed applying the DFT spectrum analysis method, with three distinct phases in relative secular variations in precipitation being identified. The phase of a relative climatic stability with moderate variations in precipitation (3.2–1.25 ka BP) was followed by the period of increased moisture (from 1.25 ka BP), unparalleled since the Late Bronze Age. Given the decisive role of increased moisture in the climate-controlled energy expenditures for pedogenesis, in the dynamics of vegetation cover and human ways of life, the identification of these periods contributes to a better understanding of soil–climate relationship and cause-and-effect for nonlinear change in the settlement and landscape history of the region.

The first meteorological observations at a tropical high elevation site: Antisana, 1846

Antisana is a stratovolcano with an associated glacier located in the Ecuadorian Andes. Dr Aguirre made meteorological readings every day, at every hour from sunrise to sunset, from December 1845 to December 1846, at Antisana using a meteorological station at 4060 mamsl (meters above mean sea level). Unfortunately, only the monthly average data have been preserved. These meteorological data are here studied and compared with the closest modern stations for monthly values of temperature, rainfall, and pressure. According to these comparisons, the year 1846 was rainy and cold in comparison with the current climate. Moreover, these observations have been useful to help resolve a debate about a possible El Nino event in 1846 with the high precipitation in Antisana and Quito in 1846 discarding the occurrence of an El Nino event. The probable occurrence of a La Nina event is discussed. These data are the earliest known systematic instrumental meteorological observations taken at above 4000 mamsl.

Climate Reconstruction of the Altai Mountains According to Lithological and Geochemical Studies of Bottom Sediments of Lake Teletskoye

The authors propose a new approach to creating high-resolution paleoclimatic reconstructions based on lithological and geochemical study of lake sediments. Scanning X-ray analysis on synchrotron radiation with 100 micron spatial resolution is used to obtain the time series. Transfer function relating the variation of the geochemical composition of sediments with the climatic parameters is calibrated according to the instrumental meteorological observations (data for the last 100–150 years) and approximated by the all depth of core. Quantitative paleoreconstruction on a timeline with annual steps is used to search for natural climatic cycles of various periods ranging from several years to a few thousand years. Found climatic cycles are used to create a forecast function, which allows to carry out the interpolation in the future. The proposed method may be considered as analytical microstratigraphy of lacustrine sediments and is tested on a model object – Lake Teletskoye (Altai Mountains) and allows to obtain paleoclimatic information of high quality.

Rainfall variations in south‐eastern Australia part 2: a comparison of documentary, early instrumental and palaeoclimate records, 1788–2008

ABSTRACTIn part 1 of this study, Fenby and Gergis (Fenby C, Gergis J. 2012. A rainfall history of south‐eastern Australia Part 1: comparing evidence from documentary and palaeoclimate records, 1788–1860. International Journal of Climatology) established a documentary chronology of droughts and wet years in south‐eastern Australia (SEA) from first European settlement in 1788 until widespread meteorological observations begin in 1860. We now compare this newly developed documentary record to a five‐station network of historical instrumental rainfall observations from the Sydney region for 1832–1859, and a 45‐station rainfall network from a broader range of SEA locations over the 1860–2008 period. After assessing geographical biases in the documentary and instrumental record due to population settlement, we identify eastern New South Wales (NSW) as the subregion of SEA that is capable of providing a continuous record of wet and dry years back to 1788. Documentary, historical instrumental and modern rainfall observations are then combined to develop an eastern NSW drought and wet year index over the 1788–2008 period. The eastern NSW drought and wet year index is compared to palaeoclimate reconstructions of SEA rainfall and El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) since 1788. We investigate the relationship between droughts and wet years in eastern NSW and ENSO back to 1788, noting that the coastal NSW rainfall–ENSO relationship is not as pronounced as in inland areas of eastern Australia. While it is clear that ENSO influences rainfall variability in the broader SEA region, the signal recorded in coastal NSW is weak. This is most likely reflecting local orographic rainfall effects and deficiencies in the wet phase of the documentary record. Nonetheless, this study is the first of its kind in the Australasian region to combine documentary, early instrumental and modern meteorological rainfall observations using internationally comparable techniques, a significant advance in historical climatology for the region. The results of this study provide an opportunity for Australia to be included in cross‐regional drought comparisons from the Indo–Pacific regions of the Southern Hemisphere.

The meteorological observations of Bento Sanches Dorta, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 1781–1788

Bento Sanches Dorta was an astronomer and geographer in the Portuguese colony of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil from 1781 to 1788. He recorded daily readings of meteorological and geomagnetic variables during that period. This dataset provides, to the best of our knowledge, the earliest known continuous 8-year-long instrumental meteorological observations for any South American site. His data show that the winters in this period were relatively cool, and that 1785 was the rainiest and hottest year, and 1787 the driest and coolest. The records display a distinct seasonal cycle and a variability that are comparable with the modern data.

Combined dendro-documentary evidence of Central European hydroclimatic springtime extremes over the last millennium

A predicted rise in anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and associated effects on the Earth’s climate system likely imply more frequent and severe weather extremes with alternations in hydroclimatic parameters expected to be most critical for ecosystem functioning, agricultural yield, and human health. Evaluating the return period and amplitude of modern climatic extremes in light of pre-industrial natural changes is, however, limited by generally too short instrumental meteorological observations. Here we introduce and analyze 11,873 annually resolved and absolutely dated ring width measurement series from living and historical fir ( Abies alba Mill.) trees sampled across France, Switzerland, Germany, and the Czech Republic, which continuously span the AD 962–2007 period. Even though a dominant climatic driver of European fir growth was not found, ring width extremes were evidently triggered by anomalous variations in Central European April–June precipitation. Wet conditions were associated with dynamic low-pressure cells, whereas continental-scale droughts coincided with persistent high-pressure between 35 and 55°N. Documentary evidence independently confirms many of the dendro signals over the past millennium, and further provides insight on causes and consequences of ambient weather conditions related to the reconstructed extremes. A fairly uniform distribution of hydroclimatic extremes throughout the Medieval Climate Anomaly, Little Ice Age and Recent Global Warming may question the common believe that frequency and severity of such events closely relates to climate mean stages. This joint dendro-documentary approach not only allows extreme climate conditions of the industrial era to be placed against the backdrop of natural variations, but also probably helps to constrain climate model simulations over exceptional long timescales.

The Moravian missionaries at the Labrador coast and their centuries-long contribution to instrumental meteorological observations

The history of instrumental meteorological observations in Labrador/Nunatsiavut, Canada, began in August 1771 when the Unitas Fratrum, also known as the “Moravian Brethren”, established a mission among the Inuit on the Labrador coast. The Brethren named this place “Nain” after a city mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible. The missionaries included learned men, trained in the natural sciences, and in October of that same year they began to undertake instrumental meteorological observations. These observations have been continued, in one form or another, to the present day. As will be shown in this paper, the year 1771 thus marks the beginning of a long time series of meteorological observations from Labrador. The authors of this paper are currently researching the climatic history of the Labrador/Nunatsiavut region by tracing the meteorological observations of the Moravian missionaries to be found in scientific publications of the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries. As will be demonstrated, the records of these observations in Labrador go through several stages; from being almost completely forgotten, to being published and republished in the main international meteorological journals. In this latter context, it may be said that the channels for the distribution of this knowledge are still being charted; this process involves tracking contacts between the Moravian Church and their sympathisers, as well as between the Church and contemporary scientists. This paper seeks to elucidate knowledge of these old records by placing them in the context of the research field of historical climatology and, at the same time, to honour the Moravian missionary observers for their valuable contribution to knowledge of past variations in climate.

The catastrophic floods of February 1784 in and around Belgium—a Little Ice Age event of frost, snow, river ice…and floods

The winter of 1783/84 is known to have been severe and long-lasting in a number of European countries. Two very cold spells occurred: at the end of December 1783 and in January 1784. Furthermore, it snowed heavily in the months of December 1783, January and February 1784. On 21 February 1784, a warm southerly wind led to a thaw which resulted in fast breaking-up of the ice on the frozen rivers and to catastrophic floods. This large-scale and long-lasting event took place in the present-day Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxemburg, northern France, Germany, Austria, and the Czech and Slovak Republics. The above-mentioned event is studied for Belgium and for adjacent areas of its hydrological river basins. Emphasis is given to the hydrological phenomena, but these are, of course, strongly linked to the weather of that particular winter. Therefore, instrumental and non-instrumental climatological observations are presented and their relation to the floods is given. The main narrative data consist of two meteorological manuscripts of the Library of the Royal Observatory of Belgium that have never been used heretofore. The instrumental meteorological observations of the Mannheim Ephemerides series at Brussels, the Godart series at Verviers and Baron de Poederlé's observations at Brussels are used. These narrative and instrumental meteorological data are further documented by quotations from a large number of contemporaneous authors and newspapers.