Increase in the number of extremely strong fronts over Europe? A study based on ERA-Interim reanalysis (1979–2014)
OPEN ACCESS
Loading...
Author / Producer
Date
2017-01-16
Publication Type
Journal Article
ETH Bibliography
yes
OPEN ACCESS
Data
Rights / License
Abstract
Evidence is presented that the frequency of extremely strong fronts, which occur mainly in summer, has increased over Europe in ERA-Interim reanalyses data (1979–2014). Fronts are defined using a common detection scheme based on gradients of equivalent potential temperature (θe) at 850 hPa. The frequency increase is due to increasing atmospheric humidity, which in turn is reported as statistically significant over Europe in the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC AR5). There is no trend in the frequency of extremely strong fronts in North America where humidity trends are, according to the IPCC AR5, close to zero. Because frontal precipitation increases with frontal strength, measured by the θe gradient, the increase in the number of extremely strong fronts may help explain regional patterns of longer-term trends in strong precipitation events.
Permanent link
Publication status
published
External links
Editor
Book title
Journal / series
Volume
44 (1)
Pages / Article No.
553 - 561
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
Event
Edition / version
Methods
Software
Geographic location
Date collected
Date created
Subject
Extreme event; High-impact weather; Precipitation; Trend; Weather front
Organisational unit
03854 - Wernli, Johann Heinrich / Wernli, Johann Heinrich