Abstract
The changes and variability of atmospheric circulation over Poland were analysed using several methodological approaches containing different spatial scales. The traditional manual classifications by Niedźwiedź and the well-known Grosswetterlagen were used. Simultaneously, an automatic classification was made by Ustrnul and Lityński and the NAO index was also measured for mutual comparison. All of the analyses concerned basically the main period of 1951–2018. However, thanks to the availability of the data from Niedźwiedź calendar of circulation, it was possible to extend the time series back to 1873. All of the analyses confirmed that Poland is significantly affected by the westerly circulation, which has a major influence on the formation of the climate. Throughout the entire long period from the end of the nineteenth century to the present day, its large fluctuations and a generally weak increasing trend were found. A similar situation can be also seen for the period 1951–2018, however, an increased westerly circulation was detected in the 1980s and 1990s. The turn of the 1960s and 1970s marked the weakening of this circulation pattern, as did the last 10 years. Generally, a high level of comparability in the course of circulation indices according to the classifications of Niedźwiedź, Ustrnul, Lityński and the Grosswetterlagen was found.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Bartoszek K (2017) The main characteristics of atmosphere circulation over East-Central Europe from 1871 to 2010. Meteorol Atmos Phys 129(2):113–129. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-016-0455-z
Bednorz E (2011) Synoptic conditions of snow cover occurrence in central European lowlands. Int J Climatol 31(8):1108–1118. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.2130
Bielec Z (2000) The role of atmospheric circulation in the development of the long-term thunderstorm occurrence variability in Poland during 1949-1998. Zeszyty Naukowe UJ. Prace Geograficzne 107:157–164
Bielec-Bąkowska Z (2010) A classification of deep cyclones over Poland (1971-2000). Phys Chem Earth, Parts A/B/C 35(9–12):491–497. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2009.12.006
Bielec-Bąkowska Z (2016) Long-term variability of the frequency and persistence of strong highs over Poland. Environ Socio-econ Stud 4(1):12–23. https://doi.org/10.1515/environ-2016-0002
Błażejczyk K, Twardosz R (2010) Long-term changes of bioclimatic conditions in Cracow (Poland). In: R Przybylak, J Majorowicz, R Brazdil, M Kejna (eds) The Polish climate in the European context. An historical overview. Springer, Dordrecht, Heidelberg, London, New York, 235–246 pp
Degirmendžić J, Kożuchowski K, Wibig J (2000) Epoki cyrkulacyjne XX wieku i zmienność typów cyrkulacji atmosferycznej w Polsce (Circulation epochs of the 20th century and variability of atmospheric circulation types in Poland). Przegląd Geofizyczny 45(3–4):221–238 (in Polish)
Degirmendžić J, Kożuchowski K, Żmudzka E (2004) Changes of air temperature and precipitation in Poland in the period 1951-2000 and their relationship to atmospheric circulation. Int J Climatol 24(3):291–310. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.l010
Degirmendžić J, Kożuchowski K (2017) Mediterranean cyclones, the atmospheric moisture content and precipitation in Poland. Geographia Pol 90(1):5–20. https://doi.org/10.7163/GPol.0075
Falarz M (2007) Snow cover variability in Poland in relations to the macro- and mesoscale atmospheric circulation in the twentieth century. Int J Climatol 27(15):2069–2081. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.1505
Hess P, Brezowsky H (1977) Katalog der Grosswetterlagen Europas (1881-1976). 3. Verbesserte und ergänzte Auflage. Berichte des Deutschen Wetterdienstes 113:68 pp
Hoy A, Hansel S, Skalak P, Ustrnul Z, Bochnicek O (2017) The extreme European summer of 2015 in a long-term perspective. Int J Climatol 37(2):943–962. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.4751
Hurrell JW (1995) Decadal trends in the North Atlantic oscillation: Regional temperatures and precipitation. Science 269(5224):676–679. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.269.5224.676
Kaszewski BM (1992) Typy cyrkulacji a typy pogody w Polsce (Types of circulation and types of weather in Poland). Rozprawy Wydziału Biologii i Nauk o Ziemi – Uniwersytet Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej. Lublin, Rozprawy Habilitacyjne:42, 92 pp. (in Polish)
Kolendowicz L (2006) The influence of synoptic situations on the occurrence of days with thunderstorms during a year in the territory of Poland. Int J Climatol 26(13):1803–1820. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.1348
Kolendowicz L, Półrolniczak M, Szyga-Pluta K, Bednorz E (2018) Human-biometeorological conditions in the southern Baltic coast based on the universal thermal climate index (UTCI). Theoret Appl Climatol 134(1–2):363–379. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-017-2279-2
Kożuchowski K (2011) Klimat Polski, Nowe spojrzenie (Polish climate, a new look). Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warszawa, 293 pp. (in Polish)
Kożuchowski K, Degirmendžić J (2018) Zmienność form cyrkulacji środkowotroposferycznej według klasyfikacji Wangenheima-Girsa i ich relacje z polem ciśnienia na poziomie morza (Variability of mid-tropospheric circulation according to the Wangenheim-Girs classification and their relationship with the sea level pressure field). Przegląd Geofizyczny 63(1–2):89–122 (in Polish)
Kulesza K (2017) Nowe spojrzenie na klasyfikację typów cyrkulacji atmosfery J. Lityńskiego (A new look at the classification of types of J. Lityński’s atmosphere circulation). Prace Geograficzne 150:79–94. https://doi.org/10.4467/20833113PG.17.018.7322 (in Polish)
Lamb HH (1972) British Isles weather types and register of the daily sequence of circulation patterns 1861-1971. Geophys Memoirs 16(116):1–85
Lityński J (1969) Liczbowa klasyfikacja typów cyrkulacji i typów pogody dla Polski (Numerical classification of circulation types and weather types for Poland). Prace PIHM 97:3–14 (in Polish)
Łupikasza E (2016) The climatology of air-mass and frontal extreme precipitation. Study of meteorological data in Europe. Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 313 pp. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31478-5
Marosz M (2016) Variability of geostrophic airflow over Poland, 1951-2014. Bulletin of Geogr Phys Geogr Ser 10(1):5–18. https://doi.org/10.1515/bgeo-2015-0001
Marsz A, Styszyńska A (eds) (2002) Oscylacja Północnego Atlantyku i jej rola w kształtowaniu zmienności warunków klimatycznych i hydrologicznych Polski (North Atlantic Oscillation and its role in shaping the variability of climatic and hydrological conditions of Poland). Akademia Morska, Gdynia, 222 pp. (in Polish)
Matuszko D, Węglarczyk S (2018) Long-term variability of the cloud amount and cloud genera and their relationship with circulation (Kraków, Poland). Int J Climatol 38(51):1205–1220. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.5445
Miętus M (1996) Zmienność lokalnej cyrkulacji atmosferycznej nad Polską Północną i jej związek z elementami klimatu (Variability of local atmospheric circulation over Northern Poland and its relationship with climate elements). Wiadomości IMGW 19(1):9–30 (in Polish)
Murray R, Lewis RP (1966) Some aspects of the synoptic climatology of the British Isles as measured by simple indices. Meteorol Mag 95:193–203
Niedźwiedź T (1981) Sytuacje synoptyczne i ich wpływ na zróżnicowanie przestrzenne wybranych elementów klimatu w dorzeczu górnej Wisły (Synoptic situations and their impact on spatial differentiation of selected climate elements in the upper Vistula basin). Rozprawy Habilitacyjne UJ, Kraków, 58:165 pp. (in Polish)
Niedźwiedź T (1983) The method of a synoptic-complex characterization of the climate presented upon the example of the upper Vistula River basin. Zeszyty Naukowe UJ. Prace Geograficzne 57:17–39
Niedźwiedź T (1996) Long-term variability of the zonal circulation index above the Central Europe. Zeszyty Naukowe UJ. Prace Geograficzne 102:213–219
Niedźwiedź T (2000) Variability of the atmospheric circulation above the Central Europe in the light of selected indices. Prace Geograficzne 107:379–389
Niedźwiedź T (2003) Extreme precipitation in Central Europe and its synoptic background. Pap Global Change IGBP 10:15–30
Niedźwiedź T (2019) Catalogue of circulation types for southern Poland (1873.09-2019.12). Available on website: http://www.kk.wnoz.us.edu.pl/nauka/kalendarz-typow-cyrkulacji/ or in Author by request
Niedźwiedź T, Ustrnul Z, Cebulak E, Limanówka D (1994) Long-Term climate variations in Southern Poland due to atmospheric circulation variability. In: R Heino (ed) Climate variations in Europe: Proceedings of the European Workshop on Climate Variations, Majvik, Finland, 15–18 May. SILMU, Publications of the Academy of Finland, 263–277 pp
Niedźwiedź T, Łupikasza E, Pińskwar I, Kundzewicz ZW, Stoffel M, Małarzewski Ł (2014) Variability of high rainfalls and related synoptic situations causing heavy floods at the northern foothills of the Tatra Mountains. Theoret Appl Climatol 119(1–2):273–284. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-014-1108-0
Niedźwiedź T, Łupikasza E (2016) Change in atmospheric circulation patterns. In Kundzewicz ZW, Stoffel M, Niedźwiedź T, Wyżga B (eds) Flood risk in the Upper Vistula Basin. Springer International Publishing Switzerland, pp 189–208. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-41923-7_9
Niedźwiedź T, Łupikasza E (2019) Cyrkulacja atmosferyczna w badaniach polskich klimatologów (Atmospheric circulation in the investigations of the Polish climatologists). Przegląd Geofizyczny 64(1–2):107–166
Nowosad M (2017) Variability of the zonal circulation index over Central Europe according to the Lityński method. Geographia Polonica 90(4):417–430
Nowosad M, Rodzik B, Wereski S, Dobek M (2013) The UTCI index in Lesko and Lublin and its circulation determinants. Geographia Polonica 86(1):29–36. https://doi.org/10.7163/GPol.2013.4
Ojrzyńska H (2012) Automatyczny kalendarz cyrkulacji dla terenu Sudetów – założenia i metody konstrukcji w oparciu o system GRASS (Automatic circulation calendar for the Sudetes - assumptions and construction methods based on the GRASS system). Przegląd Geofizyczny 57(2):17–29 (in Polish)
Osuchowska-Klein B (1978) Katalog typów cyrkulacji atmosferycznej (Catalog of atmospheric circulation types). IMGW, Wydawnictwa Komunikacji i Łączności, Warszawa, 192 pp. (in Polish)
Osuchowska-Klein B (1991) Katalog typów cyrkulacji atmosferycznej (1976-1990) (Catalog of atmospheric circulation types (1976-1990)). IMGW, Warszawa, 50 pp. (in Polish)
Owczarek M (2019) The influence of large-scale factors on the heat load on human beings in Poland in the summer months. Theoret Appl Climatol 137(1–2):855–869. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-018-2633-z
Pawłowska J, Jankowska A, Pindor T (2000) Kalendarz typów cyrkulacji atmosferycznej według J. Lityńskiego (1991-1999) (Calendar of atmospheric circulation types according to J. Lityński (1991-1999)). IMGW, Warszawa, 28 pp (in Polish)
Pianko-Kluczyńska K (2007) Nowy kalendarz typów cyrkulacji atmosfery według J. Lityńskiego (A new calendar of types of atmosphere circulation according to J. Lityński). Wiadomości Meteorologii, Hydrologii, Gospodarki Wodnej 51(4):65–85 (in Polish)
Piotrowski P (2009) Obiektywna metoda klasyfikacji cyrkulacji atmosferycznej dla Polski (An objective method of atmospheric circulation classification for Poland). Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Geographica Physica 10:216 pp. (in Polish)
Piotrowski P (2010) Comparison between objective and subjective method of classification of atmospheric circulation for area of Poland. Acta Agrophysica. Rozprawy i Monografie 5(184):44–54
Styszyńska A, Błaś M, Migała K (eds) (2019) NAO – jej istota, przyczyny i konsekwencje (NAO - its essence, causes and consequences). Instytut Geografii i Rozwoju Regionalnego Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego i Stowarzyszenie Klimatologów Polskich, Wrocław, 100 pp (in Polish)
Tomczyk AM, Owczarek M (2020) Occurrence of strong and very strong heat stress in Poland and its circulation conditions. Theoret Appl Climatol 139(1–2):893–905. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-019-02998-3
Ustrnul Z (1997) Zmienność cyrkulacji atmosfery na półkuli północnej w XX wieku (Variability of atmosphere circulation in the Northern Hemisphere in the 20th century). Materiały Badawcze IMGW, Seria Meteorologia 27:208 pp (in Polish)
Ustrnul Z (2000) Synoptic-climatic structure of the extreme air thermal phenomena in Poland. Geographia Polonica 73(2):99–109
Ustrnul Z (2007) Zmienność wskaźnika cyrkulacji zachodniej nad Europą w XX wieku (Variability of the westerly circulation index over Europe in the 20th century). In: Piotrowicz K, Twardosz R (eds), Wahania klimatu w różnych skalach przestrzennych i czasowych (Climate fluctuations in different spatial and temporal scales). Instytut Geografii i Gospodarki Przestrzennej, Uniwersytet Jagielloński, Kraków:55–63 (in Polish, summary in English)
Ustrnul Z, Czekierda D (2001) Circulation background of the atmospheric precipitation in Central Europe (based on the Polish example). Meteorol Z 10(3):103–111. https://doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2001/0010-0103
Ustrnul Z, Czekierda D (2009) Atlas of extreme meteorological phenomena and synoptic situations in Poland. Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, Warszawa, p 182
Ustrnul Z, Czekierda D, Wypych A (2010) Extreme values of air temperature in Poland according to different atmospheric circulation classifications. Phys Chem Earth 35:429–436. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2009.12.012
Ustrnul Z, Wypych A, Czekierda D (2013) Composite circulation index of weather extremes (the example for Poland). Meteorol Z 22(5):551–559. https://doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2013/0464
Werner PC, Gerstengarbe FW (2010) Katalog der Großwetterlagen Europas (1881-2009) nach Paul Hess und Helmut Brezowsky. 7. verbesserte und ergänzte Auflage. PIK Report No. 119, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. Available online: https://www.pik-potsdam.de/research/publications/pikreports/.files/pr119.pdf. 28 Feb 2019
Wibig J (2000) Oscylacja Północnoatlantycka i jej wpływ na kształtowanie pogody i klimatu (North Atlantic Oscillation and its impact on weather and climate formation). Przegląd Geofizyczny 45(2):121–137 (in Polish)
Wibig J (2001) Wpływ cyrkulacji atmosfery na rozkład przestrzenny anomalii temperatury i opadów w Europie (Impact of atmospheric circulation on the spatial distribution of temperature and precipitation anomalies in Europe). Rozprawy Habilitacyjne Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego, Łódź, 208 pp. (in Polish)
Wypych A, Ustrnul Z, Sulikowska A, Chmielewski F-M, Bochenek B (2017) Spatial and temporal variability of the frost-free season in Central Europe and its circulation background. Int J Climatol 37(8):3340–3352. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.4920
Wypych A, Ustrnul Z, Czekierda D, Palarz A, Sulikowska A (2018) Extreme precipitation events in the Polish Carpathians and their synoptic determinants. Időjárás 122(2):145–158. https://doi.org/10.28974/idojaras.2018.2.3
Żmudzka E (2007) Zmienność zachmurzenia nad Polską i jej uwarunkowania cyrkulacyjne (1951-2000) (Cloudiness change over Poland and its circulation determinations (1951-2000)). Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego, Warszawa, 399 pp (in Polish)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Niedźwiedź, T., Ustrnul, Z. (2021). Change of Atmospheric Circulation. In: Falarz, M. (eds) Climate Change in Poland. Springer Climate. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70328-8_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70328-8_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-70327-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-70328-8
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)