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Seasonal temperatures over Italy and their relationship with low-frequency atmospheric circulation patterns

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Abstract

An analysis of Italian seasonal temperatures from 1961 to 2006 was carried out, using homogenized data from 49 synoptic stations well distributed throughout Italy. The results show remarkable differences among seasons. Stationarity characterizes winter series, except for Northern Italy (where a warming trend from 1961 is identified); a positive trend over the entire period is recognized for spring series. Summer series are marked by a negative trend until 1981 and by a positive trend afterwards; finally, autumn series show a warming starting from 1970. The relationship between seasonal temperatures and four teleconnection patterns (North Atlantic Oscillation, East Atlantic Pattern, Scandinavian Pattern and Arctic Oscillation) influencing European climate was investigated through Spearman rank correlation and composites. Among the results, the strong linear correlation with the East Atlantic Pattern in all seasons but autumn is remarkable; moreover, the explained variance varies between 31.9% and 50.4% (leaving out autumn). Besides these four atmospheric patterns the role of other factors (e.g. soil moisture) is not dealt with, but their importance and the need for more investigation is pointed out.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144, Rome, Italy

    Andrea Toreti, Franco Desiato, Guido Fioravanti & Walter Perconti

  2. Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research (OCCR) and Institute of Geography, Climatology and Meteorology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    Andrea Toreti

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  1. Andrea Toreti
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  2. Franco Desiato
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  3. Guido Fioravanti
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  4. Walter Perconti
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Correspondence to Andrea Toreti.

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Toreti, A., Desiato, F., Fioravanti, G. et al. Seasonal temperatures over Italy and their relationship with low-frequency atmospheric circulation patterns. Climatic Change 99, 211–227 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-009-9640-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-009-9640-0

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