Long-term trends in strong winds in the Czech Republic

DOBROVOLNÝ, Petr and Rudolf BRÁZDIL. Long-term trends in strong winds in the Czech Republic. In Geophysical Research Abstracts, EGU General Assembly, Vol. 8. Vienna: European Geophysical Union, 2006, p. 1. ISSN 1607-7962.

Basic information

• Original name: Long-term trends in strong winds in the Czech Republic
• Name in Czech: Dolohodobé trendy ve výsyktu silných větrů v České republice
• Authors: DOBROVOLNÝ, Petr (203 Czech Republic, guarantor) and Rudolf BRÁZDIL (203 Czech Republic).
• Edition: Vienna, Geophysical Research Abstracts, EGU General Assembly, Vol. 8, p. 1-1, 2006.
• Publisher: European Geophysical Union

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Proceedings paper
• Field of Study: 10500 1.5. Earth and related environmental sciences
• Country of publisher: Austria
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14310/06:00029016
• Organization unit: Faculty of Science
• ISSN: 1607-7962
• Keywords in English: strong winds; instrumental measurements; documentary evidence; long term trends; Czech Republic
• Tags: Czech Republic, documentary evidence, instrumental measurements, long term trends, strong winds
• Tags: International impact

Abstract

Wind measurements (speeds and gusts) on meteorological stations are biased by different factors complicating to develop homogeneous long-term series. Statistical analysis of wind gusts in 1961 to 1990 is presented. Strong winds are divided on windstorms related to large horizontal pressure gradients and strong winds connected with convection (squall, tornado, downburst). Using PCA of mean sea level pressure field types of winter windstorms are analysed for the 20th century. Long term series of strong winds from the 16th century are produced using information from documentary evidence (narrative sources, visual daily weather observations, newspapers etc.). Trends in strong winds are analysed with respect to circulation characteristics (NAOI, CEZI) and winter temperatures in Central Europe. Climatology of tornadoes is presented with respect to their seasonality, spatial distribution, impacts and intensity according to Fujita scale. Higher frequency of strong winds appears in the late 16th and in the early 17th centuries. It corresponds with the common deterioration of the Central European climate. On the other hand, the lower number of recorded events during the 1940s and 1950s is connected with the quality of data excerpted mostly from newspapers for this period. Documentary evidence allows identify the most disastrous historical windstorms and provides valuable information on impacts to nature and society. In such a way information of historical climatology complement data from the instrumental period and help to define the role of anthropogenic factor in present global climate change.

Abstract (in Czech)

Wind measurements (speeds and gusts) on meteorological stations are biased by different factors complicating to develop homogeneous long-term series. Statistical analysis of wind gusts in 1961 to 1990 is presented. Strong winds are divided on windstorms related to large horizontal pressure gradients and strong winds connected with convection (squall, tornado, downburst). Using PCA of mean sea level pressure field types of winter windstorms are analysed for the 20th century. Long term series of strong winds from the 16th century are produced using information from documentary evidence (narrative sources, visual daily weather observations, newspapers etc.). Trends in strong winds are analysed with respect to circulation characteristics (NAOI, CEZI) and winter temperatures in Central Europe. Climatology of tornadoes is presented with respect to their seasonality, spatial distribution, impacts and intensity according to Fujita scale. Higher frequency of strong winds appears in the late 16th and in the early 17th centuries. It corresponds with the common deterioration of the Central European climate. On the other hand, the lower number of recorded events during the 1940s and 1950s is connected with the quality of data excerpted mostly from newspapers for this period. Documentary evidence allows identify the most disastrous historical windstorms and provides valuable information on impacts to nature and society. In such a way information of historical climatology complement data from the instrumental period and help to define the role of anthropogenic factor in present global climate change.

Links

• GA205/01/1067, research and development project: Name: Meteorologické extrémy a jejich dopady v Českých zemích od 16. století

Investor: Czech Science Foundation, Meteorological extremes and their impacts in the Czech Lands since the 16th century