Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Inter-annual temperature and precipitation variations over the Litani Basin in response to atmospheric circulation patterns

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Theoretical and Applied Climatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study examines the sensitivity of a mid-size basin’s temperature and precipitation response to different global and regional climate circulation patterns. The implication of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Indian Monsoon and ten other teleconnection patterns of the Northern Hemisphere are investigated. A methodology to generate a basin-scale, long-term monthly surface temperature and precipitation time series has been established using different statistical tests. The Litani River Basin is the focus of this study. It is located in Lebanon, east of the Mediterranean Basin, which is known to have diverse geophysical and environmental characteristics. It was selected to explore the influence of the diverse physical and topographical features on its hydroclimatological response to global and regional climate patterns. We also examine the opportunity of conducting related studies in areas with limited long-term measured climate and/or hydrological data. Litani's monthly precipitation and temperature data have been collected and statistically extrapolated using remotely sensed data products from satellites and as well as in situ gauges. Correlations between 13 different teleconnection indices and the basin’s precipitation and temperature series are investigated. The study shows that some of the annual and seasonal temperature and precipitation variance can be partially associated with many atmospheric circulation patterns. This would give the opportunity to relate the natural climate variability with the watershed’s hydroclimatology performance and thus differentiate it from other anthropogenic induced climate change outcomes.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

NAO:

North Atlantic Oscillation

EA:

East Atlantic Pattern

WP:

West Pacific Pattern

EP-NP:

East Pacific/North Pacific Pattern

PNA:

Pacific/North American Pattern

EA-WR:

East Atlantic/West Russia Pattern

SCAND:

Scandinavia Pattern

TNH:

Tropical/Northern Hemisphere Pattern

POL:

Polar/Eurasia Pattern

PT:

Pacific Transition Pattern

MOAC:

Mediterranean Oscillation Index — Algiers and Cairo

ENSO:

El Niño and Southern Oscillation

ULB:

Upper Litani Basin

LLB:

Lower Litani Basin

References

  • Al-Fenadi Y (2007) Temperature variability and trends in North Libya from 1961 to 1990. Proceedings of the 2nd ESF MedCLIVAR Workshop Connections between Mediterranean and Global Climate Variability. La Londe les Maures, Toulon, France

    Google Scholar 

  • Appenzeller C, Weiss AK, Staehelin J (2000) North Atlantic Oscillation modulates total ozone winter trends. GRL 27(8):1131–1134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnston AG, Livezey RE (1987) Classification, seasonality and persistence of low-frequency atmospheric circulation patterns. Mon Weather Rev 115:1083–1126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conte M, Giuffrida A, Tedesco S (1989) The Mediterranean Oscillation. Impact on precipitation and hydrology in Italy Climate Water. Publications of the Academy of Finland, Helsinki

    Google Scholar 

  • CPC (2011) http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/data/teledoc/telecontents.shtml

  • Cullen HM, Menocal PB (2000) North Atlantic influence on Tigris–Euphrates stream flow. Int J Climatol 20:853–863

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elmallah ES, Elsharkawy SG (2011) Influence of circulation indices upon winter temperature variability in Egypt. J Atmos Solar-Terrest Phys 73:439–448

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feliks Y, Ghil M, Robertson AW (2010) Oscillatory climate modes in the Eastern Mediterranean and their synchronization with the North Atlantic Oscillation. J Clim 23(15):4060–4079

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Felis T, Lohmann G, Kuhnert H, Lorenz SJ, Scholz D, Patzold J, Al-Rousan SA, Al-Moghrabi SM (2004) Increased seasonality in Middle East temperatures during the last interglacial period. Nature 429:164–168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giorgi F (2002) Variability and trends of sub-continental scale surface climate in the twentieth century: Part I. Observations. Clim Dyn 18(8):675–691

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glantz MH, Katz RW, Nicholls N (eds) (2009) Teleconnections linking worldwide climate anomalies: Scientific basis and societal impact. Cambridge University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez-Hidalgo JC, Lopez-Bustins JA, Stepanek P, Martin-Vide J, de Luis M (2009) Monthly precipitation trends on the Mediterranean fringe of the Iberian Peninsula during the second-half of the twentieth century (1951–2000). Int J Climatol 29:1415–1429

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hasanean HM (2004) Winter surface temperature in Egypt in relation to the associated atmospheric circulation. Int J Climatol 24:985–999

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hatzaki M, Flocas HA, Oikonomou C, Giannakopoulos C (2010) Future changes in the relationship of precipitation intensity in Eastern Mediterranean with large scale circulation. Adv Geosci 23:31–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • HMSO (1962) Weather in the Mediterranean: I. General meteorology, 2nd edn. Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurrell JW (1995) Decadal trends in the North Atlantic oscillation: Regional temperatures and precipitation. Science 269(5224):676–679

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hurrell JW, Van Loon H (1997) Decadal variations in climate associated with the North Atlantic oscillation. Clim Chang 36:301–326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huschkle RE (1959) Glossary of meteorology. Am Meteorol Soc, Boston

  • IPCC (2007a) Climate change 2007: impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment. In: Parry ML, Canziani OF, Palutikof JP, van der Linden PJ, Hanson CE (eds) Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, p 976

    Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (2007b) Climate change 2007: the physical science basis. In: Solomon S, Qin D, Manning M, Chen Z, Marquis M, Averyt KB, Tignor M, Miller HL (eds) Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, p 996

    Google Scholar 

  • Kadioğlu M, Tulunay Y, Borhan Y (1999) Variability of Turkish precipitation compared to El Niño events. Geophys Res Lett 26(11):1597–1600

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krichak SO, Alpert P (2005) Decadal trends in the east Atlantic–west Russia pattern and Mediterranean precipitation. Int J Climatol 25(2):183–192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krichak SO, Tsidulko M, Alpert P (2000) Monthly synoptic patterns associated with wet–dry conditions in the eastern Mediterranean. Theor Appl Climatol 65:215–229

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krichak SO, Kishcha P, Alpert P (2002) Decadal trends of main Eurasian oscillations and the Eastern Mediterranean precipitation. Theor Appl Climatol 72:209–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kutiel H, Maheras P, Guika S (1996) Circulation and extreme rainfall conditions in the eastern Mediterranean during the last century. Int J Climatol 16:73–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lionello P, Galati MB (2008) Links of the significant wave height distribution in the Mediterranean Sea with the Northern Hemisphere teleconnection patterns. Adv Geosci 17:13–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lionello P, Malanotte-Rizzoli P, Boscolo R (2006) Mediterranean climate variability. Developments in Earth & Environmental Sciences, 4th edn. Elsevier, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  • Mann M (2002) Large-scale climate variability and connections with the middle east in past centuries. Clim Chang 55(3):287–314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin ML, Luna MY, Morata A, Valero F (2004) North Atlantic teleconnection patterns of low-frequency variability and their links with springtime precipitation in the western Mediterranean. Int J Climatol 24:213–230

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moron V, Vautard R, Ghil M (1998) Trends, interdecadal and interannual oscillations in global sea-surface temperatures. Clim Dyn 14:545–569

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • NASA (2009) ASTER global digital elevation map. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and industry (METI)

  • Nastos PT, Philandras CM, Founda D, Zerefos CS (2011) Air temperature trends related to changes in atmospheric circulation in the wider area of Greece. Int J Remote Sens 32(3):737–750

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parthasarathy Munot AA., Kothawale DR (1995) Monthly and seasonal rainfall series for All-India homogeneous regions and meteorological subdivisions: 1871-1994. Contrib Indian Inst Trop Meteorol, Research Report RR-065, Aug. 1995, Pune 411 008 INDIA

  • Pozo-Vázquez D, Esteban-Parra MJ, Rodrigo FS, Castro-Diez Y (2001) A study of NAO variability and its possible non-linear influences on European surface temperature. Clim Dyn 17:701–715

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Price C, Stone L, Huppert A, Rajagopalan B, Alpert P (1998) A possible link between El Niño and precipitation in Israel. Geophys Res Lett 25(21):3963–3966

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramadan HH, Beighley RE, Ramamurthy AS (under review) Investigating temperature and precipitation trends in Lebanon’s largest river; the Litani Basin

  • Rasmussen EM, Wallace JM (1983) Meteorological aspects of the El Niño/Southern Oscillation. Science 222:1195–2102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ropelewski CF, Halpert MS (1987) Global and regional scale precipitation patterns associated with El Niño/Southern Oscillation. Mon Weather Rev 115(8):1606–1626

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith TM, Roynolds RW, Peterson TC, Lawrimore J (2008) Improvements to NOAA’s historical merged land–ocean surface temperature analysis (1880–2006). J Clim 21(10):2283–2296

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steinbach M, Tan PN, Kumar V, Klooster S, Potter C (2003) Discovery of climate indices using clustering. KDD, Washington, DC, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Toreti A, Desiato F, Fioravanti G, Perconti W (2010) Seasonal temperatures over Italy and their relationship with low-frequency atmospheric circulation patterns. Clim Chang 99:211–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trigo RM, Pozo-Vazquez D, Osborn TJ, Castro-Diez Y, Gamiz-Fortis S, Esteban-Parra MJ (2004) North Atlantic oscillation influence on precipitation, river flow and water resources in the Iberian peninsula. Int J Climatol 24(8):925–944

    Google Scholar 

  • Türkeş M (1998) Influence of geopotential heights, cyclone frequency and southern oscillation on rainfall variations in Turkey. Int J Climatol 18:649–680

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Türkeş M, Erlat E (2002) Precipitation anomalies in Turkey and relationships with the North Atlantic Oscillation. Presented in Rome, September 25–27

  • Ulbrich U, Christoph M (1999) Shift in the NAO and increasing storm track activity over Europe due to anthropogenic greenhouse gas. Clim Dyn 15(7):551–559

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Oldenborgh GJ, Burgers G, Tank AK (2000) On the El Niño teleconnection to spring precipitation in Europe. Int J Climatol 20:565–574

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vazquez LA (2001) Circulacion atmosf´erica euroatlantica y precipitacion en la Peninsula Iberica: conexi´on donwscaling y tipificacion invernal. El tiempo del clima. Asociacion Espa˜nola de Climatologıa, Valencia, pp 245–254

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallace JM, Gutzler DS (1981) Teleconnections in the geopotential height field during the Northern Hemisphere winter. Mon Weather Rev 109:784–812

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xoplaki E, Luterbacher J, Burkard R, Patrikas I, Maheras P (2000) Connection between the large-scale 500 hPa geopotential height fields and precipitation over Greece during wintertime. Clim Res 14:129–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ziv B, Saaroni H, Alpert P (2004) The factors governing the summer regime of the Eastern Mediterranean. Int J Climatol 24:1859–1971

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. California Department of Transportation, 7177 Opportunity Road, San Diego, CA, 92111, USA

    H. H. Ramadan

  2. Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Concordia University, 1455 De Maisonneuve West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3G 1M8

    A. S. Ramamurthy

  3. Department of Construction, Civil and Environmental Engineering, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA

    R. E. Beighley

Authors
  1. H. H. Ramadan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. S. Ramamurthy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. E. Beighley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to H. H. Ramadan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ramadan, H.H., Ramamurthy, A.S. & Beighley, R.E. Inter-annual temperature and precipitation variations over the Litani Basin in response to atmospheric circulation patterns. Theor Appl Climatol 108, 563–577 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-011-0554-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-011-0554-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation