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Effects of air pollution on precipitation in Kraków (Cracow), Poland in the years 1971–2005

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Abstract

Daily precipitation data from the period 1971–2005 from four stations in and around Kraków (Cracow), Poland (one urban and three rural ones) were analysed in order to find out whether the 80% decrease in air pollution after 1989 had an impact on the atmospheric precipitation amount and spatial distribution. The analyses were performed for the whole 35-year series and in two 17-year sub-periods: 1972–1988 (high air pollution) and 1989–2005 (low air pollution). No decreasing or increasing trend in the precipitation totals at the particular stations studied in the period 1971–2005 has been observed. The precipitation totals from 1972–1988 differ significantly from the ones of 1989–2005 only in case of Igołomia (one of the rural stations) in winter and at the urban station in autumn. The spatial pattern of precipitation did not change after 1989. The changes in air pollution affected the spatial pattern of days with precipitation mainly in spring and autumn for daily totals above 5 mm.

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Acknowledgements

The author thanks Mr. Paweł Chrustek, M.Sc., Institute of Geography and Spatial Management, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland for the technical assistance in the preparation of Fig. 1.

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  1. Institute of Geography and Spatial Management, Jagiellonian University, 7 Gronostajowa St., 30-387, Kraków, Poland

    Anita Bokwa

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  1. Anita Bokwa
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Bokwa, A. Effects of air pollution on precipitation in Kraków (Cracow), Poland in the years 1971–2005. Theor Appl Climatol 101, 289–302 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-009-0209-7

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