Skip to main content
Log in

Indications of change of climate from the analysis of air temperature time series in Athens, Greece

  • Published:
Climatic Change Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Air temperature data of Athens are analysed to point out the variations caused by natural controls and anthropogenic activities. The study of the temperature records from 1858 to 1982 at Athens, on the southeast coast of Greece, supports the findings of earlier studies which indicate that the period of the 1920's to the 1950's were, climatologically, warmer than the preceding 60 yr and after about 1960. In particular, minimum temperatures show an increase from the 1920's to the 1980's, possibly due to the urbanization of the area. The climatological trends are clearly indicated in the data, when averaged over 30 yr and/or a numerical low-pass filtering technique is used. However, the sizes of the trends in climate are smaller than the interannual variations in the temperature measures. Over periods of several generations these small variations in climate cannot have had any effect on human activity when compared with the large effects caused by the interannual variability in the temperature.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Chandler, T. J.: 1965, The Climate of London, p. 150, Hutchinson, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colacino, M. and Rovelli, A.: 1983, ‘The Yearly Averaged Air Temperature in Rome from 1782 to 1975’, Tellus 33A, 389–397.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dettwiller, J.: 1970a, ‘Evolution séculaire du climat de Paris’, Mem. Meteorol. Natl. Paris, No. 52, 83 pp.

  • Dettwiller, J.: 1978, ‘L'evolution séculaire de la température à Paris’, La Météorologie, VI sér. No. 23, pp. 95–130.

  • Dronia, H.: 1967, ‘The Urban Influence on Global Temperature Trends’, Meteorologische Abhandlungen 74(4), 68 pp.

  • Eginitis, D.: 1907, The Climate of Athens Attica, Publications of Marasli Library, Athens, Greece (in Greek), pp. 242–280.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fukui, E.: 1970, The Recent Rise of Temperature in Japan, Jpn Progr. Climatol., Tokyo Univ. of Educ., pp. 46–65.

  • Garstang, M., Tyson, P. D., and Emmitt, G. D.: 1975, ‘The Structure of Heat Island’, Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 31, 139–165.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilman, D. L. et. al.: 1963, ’On Power Spectrum of “Red Noise”’, J. Atmos. Sci. 20, 182.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, J. et al.: 1981, ‘Climatic Impact of Increasing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide’, Science 213, 957–966.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, P. D. et al.: 1982, ‘Variations in Surface Air Temperatures: Part I. Northern Hemisphere 1881–1980’, Month. Weather Rev. 110, 59–70.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, P. D. et al.: 1986, ‘Northern Hemisphere Surface Air Temperature Variations 1851–1984’, J. of C1. and App. Meteorology 25, 161–179.

    Google Scholar 

  • Katsoulis, B. and Theoharatos, G.: 1985, ‘Indications of the Urban Heat Island in Athens, Greece’, Journal of Climate and App. Meteor., Amer. Met. Soc. 24, 1296–1302.

    Google Scholar 

  • Landsberg, H. E.: 1981, ‘The Urban Climate’, Intern. Geophys. Series, Vol. 28 Academic Press, New App. Math. Tech. Note, No. BN 823, 54 pp., Univ. of Maryland, College Park, Maryland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Landsberg, H. E.: 1981, ‘The Urban Climate’, Intern. Geophys. Series, Vol. 28 Academic Press, New York, 288 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ludwig, F. L.: 1970, ‘Urban Temperature Fields’, in Urban Climate, WMO Tech. Note, No. 108, pp. 80–112.

  • Mariolopoulos, E.: 1982, ‘The Climate of Greece’, Academy of Athens, Publication No. 7, pp. 9–76.

  • Mitchell, J. M., Jr.: 1961b, ‘The temperature of Cities’, Weatherwise 14 224–229.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, J. M., Jr.: 1961a, ‘The Thermal Climate of Cities’, Symp. Air over Cities, U. S. Publ. Health Serv. Publ. SEC, Tech. Rept. A62-5, pp. 131–143.

  • Mitchell, J. M., Jr.: 1953, ‘On the Causes of Instrumentally Observed Temperature Trends’. J. of Meteorology 10, 244–261.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, J. M., Jr.: 1958, ‘Effect of Changing Observation Time on Mean Temperature’, Bull. Amer. Met. Soc. 39, 83–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, J. M., Jr. et al.: 1966, ‘Climatic Change’, WMO, Tech. Note No. 79, WHO No. TP-100, Geneva.

  • Moffitt, B. J.: 1972, ‘The Effects of Urbanization on Mean Temperatures at Kew Observatory’, Weather 27, 121–129.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oke, T. R.: 1973, ‘City Size and the Urban Heat Island’, Atm. Environ. 7, 769–779.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oke, T. R.: 1974, ‘Review of Urban Climatology’, WMO Tech. Rep. No. 134, Geneva, Switzerland.

  • Oke, T. R.: 1976, ‘The Distinction Between Canopy and Boundary Layer Urban Heat Islands’, Atmosphere 14, 268–277.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oke, T. R.: 1979, ‘Review of Urban Climatology’, WMO Tech. Rep. No. 169, Geneva, Switzerland.

  • Ormsby, J. F. A.: 1961, ‘Design of Numerical Filters with Application to Missile Data Processing’, Assoc. Comp. Mech. J. 8, 440–446.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reichenbächer, W.: 1978, ‘Zeitlich-räumliche Entwicklung der städtischen Wärmeinsel im Berliner Raum am 6/7. August 1974 und am 26.1.27 Februar 1975’, Beil. Berliner Wetterkarte, 98/78, SO 23/78, Berlin, 10 pp.

  • Schulze, P.: 1969, ‘Die horizontale Temperaturverteilung in Groszstädten, insbesondere: die West-Berlins in winterlichen Strahlungsnachten’, Meteor. Abh. 91 (2), 52 pp. Dietrich Reimer, Berlin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tyson, P. D. et. al.: 1972, ‘Temperature Structure Above Cities’, Atmos. Environ. 6, 533–542.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vinnikov, K. Ya.et. al.: 1980, ‘Current Climatic Changes in the Northern Hemisphere’, Meteorologiya i Gidrologiya 6, 5–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamamoto, R. and Hoshiai, M.: 1980, ‘Fluctuations of the Northern Hemisphere Mean Surface Air Temperature During Recent 100 yr’, J. of the Meteor. Soc. of Japan 58, 187–193.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weather in the Mediterranean V. 1: 1965, ‘General Meteorology’, Meteor. Office, London: Her Maj. St. Office, pp. 65–70.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Katsoulis, B.D. Indications of change of climate from the analysis of air temperature time series in Athens, Greece. Climatic Change 10, 67–79 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00140557

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00140557

Keywords

Navigation