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Circulation weather types and their influence on precipitation in Serbia

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Abstract

An objective classification scheme of atmospheric circulation, in which daily circulation is determined by the strength, direction, and vorticity of geostrophic flow, has been applied to the atmosphere over Serbia for the time period 1961–2010. The results for the sea level and isobaric level of 500 hPa for winter and summer are presented. The 26 circulation types (eight pure direction, 16 hybrid, cyclonic, and anticyclonic types) are determined and described. Each of the circulation types has a distinct underlying synoptic pattern that produces the expected type and direction of flow over the study area. The relative frequencies of the circulation types, and the relationship between the precipitation and circulation types at three stations on a seasonal time scale are analyzed. The anticyclonic weather type dominates in winter (18.93 %) and summer (18.70 %), followed by the northeasterly type (16.65 %) in summer, and the cyclonic type (12.83 %) in winter. The cyclonic types (C and hybrid) have a higher than average probability of rain at all stations. Conversely, the anticyclonic types are associated with a lower than average probability and intensity of rainfall.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Serbian Ministry of Science, Education, and Technological Development, under Grant No. 176013.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department for Meteorology, Faculty of Physics, University of Belgrade, Dobračina 16, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia

    Suzana Putniković, Ivana Tošić & Vladimir Đurđević

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  1. Suzana Putniković
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  2. Ivana Tošić
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  3. Vladimir Đurđević
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Correspondence to Suzana Putniković.

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Responsible Editor: L. Gimeno.

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Putniković, S., Tošić, I. & Đurđević, V. Circulation weather types and their influence on precipitation in Serbia. Meteorol Atmos Phys 128, 649–662 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-016-0432-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-016-0432-6

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