Monthly air temperature trends in Switzerland 1901-2000 and 1975-2004
Martine Rebetez & Michael Reinhard
| Résumé |
We analysed long-term temperature trends based on 12 homogenised
series of monthly temperature data in Switzerland at elevations
between 316 m.a.s.l. and 2490 m.a.s.l for the 20(th) century
(1901-2000) and for the last thirty years (1975-2004). Comparisons
were made between these two periods, with changes standardised to
decadal trends. Our results show mean decadal trends of +0.135
degrees C during the 20(th) century and +0.57 degrees C based on
the last three decades only. These trends are more than twice as
high as the averaged temperature trends in the Northern Hemisphere.
Most stations behave quite similarly, indicating that the increasing
trends are linked to large-scale rather than local processes.
Seasonal analyses show that the greatest temperature increase in
the 1975-2004 period occurred during spring and summer whereas they
were particularly weak in spring during the 20(th) century. Recent
temperature increases are as much related to increases in maximum
temperatures as to increases in minimum temperature, a trend that
was not apparent in the 1901-2000 period. The different seasonal
warming rates may have important consequences for vegetation,
natural disasters, human health, and energy consumption, amongst
others. The strong increase in summer temperatures helps to explain
the accelerated glacier retreat in the Alps since 1980. |
| Mots-clés |
DANGEROUS CLIMATE-CHANGE, SWISS ALPS, VARIABILITY, SNOW, PRECIPITATION, RADIATION, SURFACE, RANGE, SCALE, SHIFT |
| Citation | Rebetez, M., & Reinhard, M. (2008). Monthly air temperature trends in Switzerland 1901-2000 and 1975-2004. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 91(1-4), 27-34. |
| Type | Article de périodique (Français) |
| Date de publication | 2008 |
| Nom du périodique | Theoretical and Applied Climatology |
| Volume | 91 |
| Numéro | 1-4 |
| Pages | 27-34 |