Recent changes in Georgia׳s temperature means and extremes: Annual and seasonal trends between 1961 and 2010

Abstract

Sixteen temperature minimum and maximum series are used to quantify annual and seasonal changes in temperature means and extremes over Georgia (Southern Caucasus) during the period 1961 and 2010. Along with trends in mean minimum and maximum temperature, eight indices are selected from the list of climate extreme indices as defined by the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI) for studying trends in temperature extremes. Between the analysis periods 1961-2010, 1971-2010 and 1981-2010 pronounced warming trends are determined for all Georgia-averaged trends in temperature means and extremes, while all magnitudes of trends increase towards the most recent period. During 1981 and 2010, significant warming trends for annual minimum and maximum temperature at a rate of 0.39°C (0.47°C) days/decade and particularly for the warm temperature extremes, summer days, warm days and nights and the warm spell duration index are evident, whereas warm extremes show larger trends than cold extremes. The most pronounced trends are determined for summer days 6.2 days/decade, while the warm spell duration index indicates an increase in the occurrence of warm spells by 5.4 days/decade during 1981 and 2010. In the comparison of seasonal changes in temperature means and extremes, the largest magnitudes of warming trends can be observed for temperature maximum in summer and temperature minimum in fall. Between 1981 and 2010, summer maximum temperature shows a significant warming at a rate of 0.84 °C/decade, increasing almost twice as fast as its annual trend (0.47 °C/decade). The Georgia-averaged trends for temperature minimum in fall increase by 0.59 °C/decade. Strongest significant trends in temperature extremes are identified during 1981 and 2010 for warm nights (4.6 days/decade) in summer and fall as well as for warm days (5.6 days/decade) in summer. Analyses demonstrate that there have been increasing warming trends since the 1960s, particularly for warm extremes during summer and fall season, accompanied by a constant warming of temperature means in Georgia.

Contemporary changes of thermal conditions in Poland, 1951-2015

“…In Georgia (southern Caucasus) during 1981-2010, some significant positive changes regarding the annual minimum temperature were discovered -the temperature grew at a rate of 0.39°C per decade. The maximum temperature grew at a rate of 0.47°C per decade (Keggenhoff et al 2015). The increase of the maximum temperature in summer since 1960 has also been detected in the Mediterranean Sea Basin (Kuglitsch et al 2010).…”

Quantification of Rotavirus Diarrheal Risk Due to Hydroclimatic Extremes Over South Asia: Prospects of Satellite‐Based Observations in Detecting Outbreaks

“…We either applied or adopted the climate indices from the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI) Peterson (2005). These indices were used in various climate studies to analyze the extremity of the climatic phenomenon (Alexander, 2015;Hasan et al, 2017;Keggenhoff et al, 2015). The selections of the indices in those studies were conducted based on particular objectives of individual studies.…”

Heat Wave Events over Georgia Since 1961: Climatology, Changes and Severity

“…In this study the Quantile-Matching (QM) adjustment procedure of RHtestV3 is used to adjust daily temperature series [40,41]. Details on the homogeneity testing and adjustment procedure and parameter usage during the QM adjustment procedure are stated in [23]. The resulting homogenized daily temperature dataset comprise minimum and maximum temperature series from 22 stations for the analysis period of 1961 to 2010 (see Appendix).…”

“…In the mountainous areas mean temperature covers a range of −5 to 10 °C and precipitation varies from 800-1400 mm [22]. According to findings by [23] Georgia experienced pronounced summer warming trends for monthly minimum and maximum temperature means and extremes, whereas warm extremes show larger trends than cold extremes. Moreover, the trend for warm spells was observed to be significantly increasing since the 1960s.…”