Sunshine and synoptic cloud observations at Ebro Observatory, 1910–2006

Curto, J. J.; Also, E.; Πάλλη, Ε.; Solé, J. G.

doi:10.1002/joc.1841

Cited by 13 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 25 publications

(26 reference statements)

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“…Nevertheless, it is worth noticing that if the Granada series is analyzed independently from our dataset, the linear trend for the 1908-1953 period is also significant and negative (−1.6 % per decade) in agreement with Henderson-Sellers (1986a). Equally, the reported increase in TCC at a northern station of Spain (Curto et al, 2009), which is not included in the current study, is in line with our findings, although the rate of increase for this specific station is considerably higher than the one provided in our results. This fact, together with the decreasing trend found at individual stations, such as in southern Spain (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 52%

“…Finally, other studies focusing only on one station reported an increase in TCC since the late 19th or the beginning of the 20th centuries: i.e. in Cracow, Poland (Matuszko, 2003;Lewik et al, 2010); in Armagh, Ireland (Pallé and Butler, 2002b); and in Northeastern Spain (Curto et al, 2009). In this latter study, the authors reported a change of around 2 oktas (i.e.…”

Section: A Sanchez-lorenzo Et Al: Increasing Cloud Cover In the 20tmentioning

confidence: 63%

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Increasing cloud cover in the 20th century: review and new findings in Spain

2012

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Abstract. Visual observations of clouds have been performed since the establishment of meteorological observatories during the early instrumental period, and have become more systematic and reliable after the mid-19th century due to the establishment of the first national weather services. During the last decades a large number of studies have documented the trends of the total cloud cover (TCC) and cloudy types; most of these studies focus on the trends since the second half of the 20th century. Due to the lower reliability of former observations, and the fact that most of this data is not accessible in digital format, there is a lack of studies focusing on the trends of cloudiness since the mid-19th century. In the first part, this work attempts to review previous studies analyzing TCC changes with information covering at least the first half of the 20th century. Then, the study analyses a database of cloudiness observations in Southern Europe (Spain) since the second half of the 19th century. Specifically, monthly TCC series were reconstructed since 1866 by means of a so-called parameter of cloudiness, calculated from the number of cloudless and overcast days. These estimated TCC series show a high interannual and decadal correlation with the observed TCC series originally measured in oktas. After assessing the temporal homogeneity of the estimated TCC series, the mean annual and seasonal series for the whole of Spain and several subregions were calculated. The mean annual TCC shows a general tendency to increase from the beginning of the series until the 1960s; at this point, the trend becomes negative. The linear trend for the annual mean series, estimated over the 1866-2010 period, is a highly remarkable (and statistically significant) increase of +0.44 % per decade, which implies an overall increase of more than +6 % during the analyzed period. These results are in line with the majority of the trends observed in many areas of the world in previous studies, especially for the records before the 1950s when a widespread increase of TCC can been considered as a common feature.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 52%

Section: A Sanchez-lorenzo Et Al: Increasing Cloud Cover In the 20tmentioning

confidence: 63%

Increasing cloud cover in the 20th century: review and new findings in Spain

2012

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“…[], Figure 10). Therefore, a large literature record relating these two magnitudes and studying their annual, seasonal, and monthly evolution is available [e.g., Fox , ; Angell et al ., ; Angell , ; Jones and Henderson‐Sellers , ; Weber , ; Palle and Butler , 2001; Curto et al ., ; Matuszko , ]. But this relationship is not always simple and linear and can be affected by several factors, such as changes in atmospheric transparency resulting from aerosols or changes in the properties of clouds.…”

Section: Evidence Of Aerosol/turbidity Effects On Sunshine Duration Mmentioning

confidence: 99%

The signal of aerosol‐induced changes in sunshine duration records: A review of the evidence

et al. 2014

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Aerosols play a significant yet complex and central role in the Earth's radiation budget, and knowledge of long-term changes in the atmospheric turbidity induced by aerosols is therefore fundamental for a better understanding of climate change. However, there is little available information on changes in aerosol concentration in the atmosphere, especially prior to the 1980s. The present paper reviews publications reporting the suitability of sunshine duration records with regard to detecting changes in atmospheric aerosols. Some of the studies reviewed propose methods for estimating aerosol-related magnitudes, such as turbidity, from sunshine deficit at approximately sunrise and sunset, when the impact of aerosols on the solar beam is more easily observed. In addition, there is abundant evidence that one cause of the decadal changes observed in sunshine duration records involves variations in atmospheric aerosol loading. Possible directions for future research are also suggested: in particular, detailed studies of the burn (not only its length but also its width) registered by means of Campbell-Stokes sunshine recorders may provide a way of creating time series of atmospheric aerosol loading metrics dating back to over 120 years from the present.

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“…In fact, our meteorological archives date back to the year 1880. As a result of this, we have a long series of meteorological data that allows us to carry out climate studies of the Ebro and, by extension, the Mediterranean region (Curto et al, 2008). Among all these data, there is a historical series of atmospheric visibility.…”

Section: Locationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term visibility variation at the Ebro Observatory (1960–2020)

Curto

Tacoronte

2022

Preprint

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Abstract. This study explores the interdecadal variability and trends of surface horizontal visibility in the Baix Ebre area (Spain) from 1960 to 2020, using the historical archive of the Ebro Observatory located in the town of Roquetes, in the centre of the region. We detected a prominent improvement in visibility in the first decades of the second part of the twentieth century but this was followed by a dramatic deterioration in the last decade recorded (2010–2020). This was not accompanied by a significant trend in relative humidity over the same period. It was found that very good visibility (20–50 km) occurred at a frequency of more than 40 % in the 1980s and 90s, while this percentage dropped to just 15 % during the 2010–2020 decade. Visibility was found to be negatively correlated with relative humidity and positively correlated with wind speed. This correlation was statistically valid for most of the time periods we looked at. Wind regime, prevailing wind direction and the corresponding origin (marine or continental) of the air mass were found to display a strong influence on the short-term visibility levels at the Ebro Observatory. However, long term visibility trends are controlled by other factors, which are probably of anthropogenic origin. The rapid increase in population in Roquetes and other neighbouring towns during recent decades could be the cause of the implicit impairment of air quality observed because of increased levels of air pollution on a regional scale. Apart from these local sources, visibility at the Ebro Observatory could also be influenced by the aerosol load from neighbouring regions (Castelló and Tarragona) which have a significant concentration of industries.

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Sunshine and synoptic cloud observations at Ebro Observatory, 1910–2006

Cited by 13 publications

References 25 publications

Increasing cloud cover in the 20th century: review and new findings in Spain

Increasing cloud cover in the 20th century: review and new findings in Spain

The signal of aerosol‐induced changes in sunshine duration records: A review of the evidence

Long-term visibility variation at the Ebro Observatory (1960–2020)

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