Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The early instrumental warm-bias: a solution for long central European temperature series 1760–2007

  • Published:
Climatic Change Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Instrumental temperature recording in the Greater Alpine Region (GAR) began in the year 1760. Prior to the 1850–1870 period, after which screens of different types protected the instruments, thermometers were insufficiently sheltered from direct sunlight so were normally placed on north-facing walls or windows. It is likely that temperatures recorded in the summer half of the year were biased warm and those in the winter half biased cold, with the summer effect dominating. Because the changeover to screens often occurred at similar times, often coincident with the formation of National Meteorological Services (NMSs) in the GAR, it has been difficult to determine the scale of the problem, as all neighbour sites were likely to be similarly affected. This paper uses simultaneous measurements taken for eight recent years at the old and modern site at Kremsmünster, Austria to assess the issue. The temperature differences between the two locations (screened and unscreened) have caused a change in the diurnal cycle, which depends on the time of year. Starting from this specific empirical evidence from the only still existing and active early instrumental measuring site in the region, we developed three correction models for orientations NW through N to NE. Using the orientation angle of the buildings derived from metadata in the station histories of the other early instrumental sites in the region (sites across the GAR in the range from NE to NW) different adjustments to the diurnal cycle are developed for each location. The effect on the 32 sites across the GAR varies due to different formulae being used by NMSs to calculate monthly means from the two or more observations made at each site each day. These formulae also vary with time, so considerable amounts of additional metadata have had to be collected to apply the adjustments across the whole network. Overall, the results indicate that summer (April to September) average temperatures are cooled by about 0.4°C before 1850, with winters (October to March) staying much the same. The effects on monthly temperature averages are largest in June (a cooling from 0.21° to 0.93°C, depending on location) to a slight warming (up to 0.3°C) at some sites in February. In addition to revising the temperature evolution during the past centuries, the results have important implications for the calibration of proxy climatic data in the region (such as tree ring indices and documentary data such as grape harvest dates). A difference series across the 32 sites in the GAR indicates that summers since 1760 have warmed by about 1°C less than winters.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aguilar E, Auer I, Brunet M, Peterson TC, Wieringa J (2003) Guidelines on climate metadata and homogenization. World Climate Programme Data and Monitoring WCDMP 53, WMO-TD 1186, WMO. Geneva

  • Andrighetti M, Rampanelli G, Zardi D (2007) Ricostruzione ed analisi climatologica delle serie di temperatura e precipitazione di Verona (1741–2006). In: Proceedings of the convegno nazionale di fisica della terra fluida, 11–15 Giugno 2007, Ischia

  • Annales de l’Institut de Physique du Globe (1890–1950) (before 1918: Elässische Jahrbücher)

  • Auer I, Böhm R, Schöner W (2001a) Austrian long-term climate 1767–2000—Multiple instrumental climate time series from Central Europe. Österr Beitr zu Meteorologie und Geophysik, 25 147 pages plus Data- and Metadata-CD

  • Auer I, Böhm R, Schöner W (2001b) Long climatic time series from Austria. In: Jones PD et al (eds) History and climate: memories of the future? Plenum, New York, pp 125–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Auer I, Böhm R, Scheifinger H, Ungersböck M, Orlik A, Jurkovic A (2004) Metadata and their role in homogenizing. In: Proceedings of the fourth seminar for homogenization and quality control in climatological databases, Budapest, Hungary, 6–10 October 2003), WCDMP. 56, WMO-TD 1236: 17–23, WMO Geneva

  • Auer I, Böhm R, Jurkovic A, Orlik A, Potzmann R, Schöner W, Ungersböck M, Brunetti M, Nanni T, Maugeri M, Briffa K, Jones P, Efthymiadis D, Mestre O, Moisselin JM, Begert M, Brazdil R, Bochnicek O, Cegnar T, Gajic-Capka M, Zaninovic K, Majstorovic Z, Szalai S, Szentimrey T (2005) A new instrumental precipitation dataset in the greater alpine region for the period 1800–2002. Int J Climatol 25:139–166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Auer I, Böhm R, Jurkovic A, Lipa W, Orlik A, Potzmann R, Schöner W, Ungersböck M, Matulla C, Briffa K, Jones PD, Efthymiadis D, Brunetti M, Nanni T, Maugeri M, Mercalli L, Mestre O, Moisselin J-M, Begert M, Müller-Westermeier G, Kveton V, Bochnicek O, Stastny P, Lapin M, Szalai S, Szentimrey T, Cegnar T, Dolinar M, Gajic-Capka M, Zaninovic K, Majstorovic Z, Nieplova E (2007) HISTALP—Historical instrumental climatological surface time series of the greater Alpine region 1760–2003. Int J Climatol 27:17–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Austaller H (1988) Die temperaturreihe von Kremsmünster. PhD thesis, University of Vienna, 223 pp

  • Bergström H, Moberg A (2002) Daily air temperature and pressure series for Uppsala (1722–1998). Clim Change 53:213–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bider M (1964) Meteorologische beobachtungen und arbeiten in Basel. In: Cent ans de météorologie en Suisse 1864–1963. SMA, Zurich, pp 83–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Bohleber P (2008) Age distribution and δ 18O variability in a low accumulation Alpine ice core: perspective for paleoclimate studies. Diploma thesis, IUP, University of Heidelberg, 146 pp

  • Böhm R, Auer I, Brunetti M, Maugeri M, Nanni T and Schöner W (2001) Regional temperature variability in the European Alps 1760–1998 from homogenized instrumental time series. Int J Climatol 21:1779–1801

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brohan P, Jennedy J, Harris I, Tett SFB, Jones PD (2006) Uncertainty estimates in regional and global observed temperature changes: a new dataset from 1850. J Geophys Res 111:D12106. doi:10.1029/2005JD006548

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brunet M, Saladié O, Jones P, Sigró J, Aguilar E, Moberg A, Lister D, Walther A, Lopez D, Almarza C (2006) The development of a new dataset of Spanish daily adjusted temperature series (SDATS) (1850–2003). Int J Climatol 26:1777–1802

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brunetti M, Buffoni L, Lo Vecchio G, Maugeri M, Nanni T (2001) Tre secoli di meteorologia a Bologna. Edizioni CUSL, Bologna

    Google Scholar 

  • Brunetti M, Maugeri M, Nanni T, Auer I, Böhm R, Schöner W (2006a) Precipitation variability and changes in the greater alpine region over the 1800–2003 period. J Geophys Res 111. doi: 10.1029/2005JD006674

  • Brunetti M, Maugeri M, Monti F, Nanni T (2006b) Temperature and precipitation variability in Italy in the last two centuries from homogenized instrumental time series. Int J Climatol 26:345–381

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buffoni L, Chlistovsky F, Maugeri M (1996) 1763–1996, 223 anni di rilevazioni termiche giornaliere a Milano-Brera. Edizioni CUSL, Milano

  • Büntgen U, Frank DC, Nievergelt D, Esper J (2006) Summer temperature variations in the European Alps: AD 755–2004. J Climate 19:5606–5623

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Camuffo D (2002) History of the long series of daily air temperature in Padova (1725–1998). Clim Change 53:7–75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Camuffo D, Jones PD (eds) (2002) Improved understanding of past climatic variability from early daily European instrumental records. Clim Change 53 (special edition)

  • Carlini (1833) Sulla distribuzione e sull’uso delle osservazioni meteorologiche di Milano. Effemeridi astronomiche di Milano 1833

  • Chlistovsky V, Buffoni L, Maugeri M (1997) La temperature a Milano-Brera. Edizioni CUSL–Collata Scientifica, Milano, 192 pp

  • Della-Marta P, Wanner H (2006) A method of homogenizing the extremes and mean of daily temperature measurements. J Climate 19:4179–4197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Di Napoli G (1996) Tre secoli di clima a Torino: stato dei lavori. Nimbus 13–14:30–31

    Google Scholar 

  • Di Napoli G, Mercalli L (2008) Il clima di Torino. 900 pp

  • Efthymiadis D, Jones PD, Briffa K, Böhm R, Maugeri M (2007) Influence of large-scale atmospheric circulation on climate variability in the Greater Alpine Region of Europe. J Geophys Res 112:D12104. doi:10.1029/2006JD008021

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frank D, Büntgen U, Böhm R, Maugeri M, Esper J (2007) Warmer early instrumental measurements versus colder reconstructed temperatures: shooting at a moving target. Quat Sci Rev 26:3298–3310

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geiger R, Aron RH, Todhunter P (1995) The climate near the ground. Vieweg, Braunschweig, 528 pp

  • Häfner R (1994) 175 Jahre Sternwarte Bogenhausen. http://www.usm.uni-muenchen.de/hist.html

  • Herrenschneider JLA (1815) Résumé des observations météorologiques faites a Strasbourg depuis le commencement de l’an 1801 jusqu’à la fin de 1810. Mémoires de la Société des Sciences de Strasbourg 1

  • Herrenschneider JLA (1825) Résumé des observations météorologiques faites a Strasbourg depuis le commencement de l’an 1811 jusqu’à la fin de 1820. Mémoires de la Société des Sciences de Strasbourg 2 46 pages plus 10 tables

  • Hiebl J (2006) The early instrumental climate period (1760–1860) in Europe. Evidence from the Alpine region and Southern Scandinavia. Diploma thesis, Geogr Inst, University of Vienna, 103 pp

  • Hormes A, Müller BU, Schlüchter C (2001) The Alps with little ice: evidence for eight Holocene phases of reduced glacier extent in the Central Swiss Alps. The Holocene 11:255–265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones PD (2001) Early European instrumental records. In: Jones PD et al (eds) History and climate: memories of the future? Plenum, New York, pp 55–77

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones PD, Lister DH (2002) The daily temperature record for St. Petersburg, 1743 1996. Clim Change 53:253–258

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones PD, Moberg A (2003) Hemispheric and large-scale surface air temperature variations: an extensive revision and an update to 2001. J Climate 16:206–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones PD, New M, Parker DE, Martin S, Rigor IG (1999) Surface air temperature and its variations over the last 150 years. Rev Geophys 37:173–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones PD, Briffa KR, Osborn TJ (2003) Changes in the Northern hemisphere annual cycle: implications for paleoclimatology? J Geophys Res 108(D18):4588. doi:10.10.1029/2003JD003695

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klemun M (1994) Aufbau und Organisation des meteorologischen Meßnetzes in Kärnten (19. Jh.). Carinthia II 184/104:97–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Koinig KA, Kamenik C, Schmidt R, Agusti-Panareda A, Appleby PG, Lami A, Prazakova M, Rose N, Schnell OA, Tessadri R, Thompson R, Psenner R (2002) Environmental changes in an alpine lake (Gossenkollesee, Austria) over the last two centuries—the influence of air temperature on biological parameters. J Paleolimnol 28:147–160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lang C (1882) Erläuterungen zu 67-jährigen Beobachtungen in München. Bavarian Meteorological Yearbooks 4:29–70

    Google Scholar 

  • Lauscher F, Roller M, Wacha G, Weiss E, Frenzel J (1959) Witterung und Klima von Linz. ÖGM, 235 pp

  • Mangini A, Spötl C, Verdes P (2005) Reconstruction of temperature in the Central Alps during the past 2000 years from a δ 18O stalagmite record. Earth Planet Sci Lett 235:741–751

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manley G (1974) Central England temperatures: monthly means 1659 to 1973. Q J Royal Meteorol Soc 100:389–405

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maugeri M, Buffoni L, Chlistovsky F (2002) Daily Milan temperature and pressure series (1763–1998): history of the observations and data and metadata recovery. Clim Change 53:101–149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maurer J, Billwiller Jr, Heß C (1909) Das Klima der Schweiz 1864–1900, vols. 1 and 2, 302, 217 pp

  • Meier N, Rutishauser T, Pfister C, Wanner H, Luterbacher J (2007) Grape harvest dates as a proxy for Swiss April to August temperature reconstructions back to AD 1480. Geophys Res Lett 34:L20705. doi:10.1029/2007GL031381

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mercalli L, Cat Berro D, Montuschi S, Castellano C, Ratti M, Di Napoli G, Mortara G, Guindani N (2003) Atlante climatico della Valle d’Aosta. Soc Met Subalpina, Torino, 405 pp

  • Moberg A, Alexandersson H (1997) Homogenization of Swedish temperature data. Part II: homogenized gridded air temperature compared with a subset of global air temperature since 1861. Int J Climatol 17:35–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moberg A, Bergström H (1997) Homogenization of Swedish temperature data. Part III: the long temperature records from Stockholm and Uppsala. Int J Climatol 17:667–699

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moberg A, Bergström H, Ruiz Krigsman J, Svanered O (2002) Daily air temperature and pressure series for Stockholm (1756–1998). Clim Change 53:171–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moberg A, Alexandersson H, Bergström H, Jones PD (2003) Were southern Swedish temperatures before 1860 as warm as measured? Int J Climatol 23:1495–1521

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moberg A, Tuomenvirta H, Nordli PØ (2005) Recent climatic trends. In: Seppälä H (ed) The physical geography of Fennoscandia. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Müller-Westermeier (1992) Untersuchungen langer deutscher Temperaturreihen. Meteorologische Zeitschrift NF 1:155–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Nordli PØ (2001) Spring and summer temperatures in south eastern Norway (1749–2000). DNMI reports 01/01 Klima. Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Oslo

  • Parker DE (1994) Effects of changing exposure of thermometers at land stations. Int J Climatol 14:1–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker DE, Legg TP, Folland CK (1992) A new daily Central England temperature series, 1772–1991. Int J Climatol 12:317–342

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peppler A (1922) Die badische Landeswetterwarte Karlsruhe. Braun’sche Hofbuchdruckerei

  • Peterson TC, Easterling DR, Karl TR, Groisman P, Auer I, Böhm R, Plummer N, Nicholis N, Torok S, Vincent L, Tuomenvirta H, Salinger J, Förland EJ, Hanssen-Bauer I, Alexandersson H, Jones PD, Parker D (1998) Homogeneity adjustments of in situ climate data: a review. Int J Climatol 18:1493–1517

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pfister C (1975) Agrarkonjunktur und Witterungsverlauf im Westlichen Schweizer Mittelland 1755–1797. Geographica Bernensia G2. Bern

  • Plantamour E (1863) Du climat de Genève. Henri Georg, Éditeur, Genève

  • Plantamour E (1876) Nouveles études sur le climat de Genève. Henri Georg, Éditeur, Genève

  • Polli S (1950) Valori medi ed estremi del clima di Trieste. Istituto Talassografico Pubbl., N. 257, 15 pp

  • Prettner J (1865) Klima und Witterung von Klagenfurt. Jb d Museums VII

  • Riggenbach A (1892) Geschichte der meteorologischen Beobachtungen in Basel

  • Stravisi F (2006) La meteorologia a Trieste. In: La variabilità del clima locale relazionata ai fenomeni di camobiamento climatico globale. Studi regionali a monografici 37:245–288

  • Trenberth KE, Jones PD (coord. lead authors) (2007) Observations: surface and atmospheric climate change. In: Climate change 2007: the physical science basis. Contribution of WG 1 to the 4th assessment report of the IPCC. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, UK and New York

  • Trepinska J (ed) (1997) Wahania klimatu w Krakowie 1792–1995 (Fluctuations of climate in Cracow 1792–1992). Institute of Geograophy of Jagellonian University, Cracow, 198 pp

  • van Engelen AFV, Nellestijn JW (1995) Monthly, seasonal and annual means of the air temperature in tenths of centigrades in De Bilt, Netherlands, 1706–1995. KNMI (Dutch Met. Service) Report, Climatological Services Division

  • Venerio G (1851) Osservazioni meteorologiche fatte in Udine nel Friuli pel quarantennio 1803–1842

  • Vincent C, Le Meur E, Six D, Funk M (2005) Solving the paradox of the end of the Little Ice Age in the Alps. Geophys Res Lett 32:L09706. doi:10.1029/2005GL022552

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vinther BM, Andersen KK, Jones PD, Briffa KR, Cappelen J (2006) Extending Greenland temperature records into the late 18th century. J Geophys Res 111:D11105. doi:10.1029/2005JD006810

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • von Rudloff H (1967) Die Schwankungen und Pendelungen des Klimas in Europa seit dem Beginn der regelmäßigen Instrumenten-Beobachtungen (1670). Vieweg, Braunschweig, 370 pp

  • von Schmöger (1835) Resultate der meteorologischen Beobachtungen zu Regensburg von 1774–1834

  • von Schoder (1882) Fünfzigjährige Ergebnisse der meteorologischen Beobachtungen in Stuttgart. Württembergisches Meteorologisches Jahrbuch 1878–1879

  • von Gunten L, Heiri O, Bigler C, van Leeuwen J, Casty C, Lotter F, Sturm M (2007) Seasonal temperatures for the past ∼400 years reconstructed from diatom and chironomid assemblages in a high-altitude lake (Lej da la Tscheppa, Switzerland). J Paleolimnol 39:283–299. doi:10.1007/s10933-007-9103-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vose RS, Schmoyer RL, Steurer PM, Peterson TC, Heim R, Karl TR, Eischeid J (1992) The global historical climatology network: long-term monthly temperature, precipitation, sea level pressure, and station pressure data. ORNL/CDIAC-53, NDP-041. Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge

  • Wild (1879) Aufstellung der Thermometer zur Bestimmung der wahren Lufttemperatur. In: Repetitorium für meteorologie, T. VI, No. 9, St. Petersburg

  • Winkler P (2006) Hohenpeißenberg 1781–2006—das älteste Bergobservatorium der Welt. Deutscher Wetterdienst, Offenbach am Main, 174 pp

  • Zallinger F (1833) Innsbrucker meteorologische Beobachtungen von 50 Jahren. Ferdinandeum, Wagnersche Schriften, 107 pp

  • Zemp M (2006) Glaciers and climate change. Spatio-temporal analysis of glacier fluctuations in the European Alps after 1850. Schriftenreihe Physische Geographie, Glaziologie und Geomorphodynamik 49. PhD theses series, University of Zurich

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG), Hohe Warte 38, 1190, Vienna, Austria

    Reinhard Böhm & Johann Hiebl

  2. Climatic Research Unit (CRU), School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK

    Philip D. Jones

  3. Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland

    David Frank

  4. Istituto di Scienze dell’Atmosfera e del Clima (ISAC)–CNR, Bologna, Italy

    Michele Brunetti

  5. Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi, Milan, Italy

    Maurizio Maugeri

Authors
  1. Reinhard Böhm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Philip D. Jones
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Johann Hiebl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. David Frank
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Michele Brunetti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Maurizio Maugeri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Reinhard Böhm.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Böhm, R., Jones, P.D., Hiebl, J. et al. The early instrumental warm-bias: a solution for long central European temperature series 1760–2007. Climatic Change 101, 41–67 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-009-9649-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-009-9649-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation