Trend analysis of monthly mean values and extreme indices of daily temperature in a region of southern Italy

Abstract

The analyses of temperature extremes can be very useful because they are highly representative of the climatic tendency of an area. In this study, 19 temperature series registered in southern Italy have been analysed for detecting trends through the Mann–Kendall non‐parametric test. The tendencies have been detected since 1951 for the maximum and minimum monthly temperatures and for several indices of daily extremes. As a result, the minimum and maximum monthly temperatures mainly denote a positive trend for spring and summer months and a marked negative one in September. Moreover, the trend analysis on the extreme temperature indices shows opposite behaviours: a clear positive tendency in the frequency and intensity of the highest values and some negative trends for the lowest ones.

Recent trends in daily temperature extremes over the central Adriatic region of Italy in a Mediterranean climatic context

“…This partial spatial heterogeneity in trends should be attributed to the morphological contrasts characterizing the CARI, with the presence of the Apennines and the Adriatic sea, which cause the existence of local microclimates within only few kilometres (Appiotti et al, ; Leopardi and Scorzini, ). This is a typical feature of the Italian peninsula (Lo Vecchio and Nanni, ), as it has been shown also in previous studies analysing trends in temperature extremes in related regions, as Emilia Romagna, Basilicata and Calabria (Tomozeiu et al, ; Piccarreta et al ., 2015; Caloiero et al, ).…”

“…() in their global study described a sharper warming in minimum temperature‐related indices than in maximum temperature‐related indices, as also shown at the regional scale for southern Italy (Calabria Region) by Caloiero et al . (). Bartolini et al .…”

“…The analysis of regional dense observation networks could help in outlying a more comprehensive figure of extreme temperature changes over the country and the Mediterranean area (Moberg and Jones, ; Donat et al, ). However, only few other works exist for some of the northern and southern regions [Northwestern Italian Alps: Valle d'Aosta and Piedmont (Acquaotta et al, ); Emilia Romagna (Tomozeiu et al, ); Tuscany (Bartolini et al, ); Basilicata (Piccarreta et al, ); Calabria (Caloiero et al, )].…”

Correlation Analysis of Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation in a Region of Southern Italy

“…Moreover, the tendency detected for seasonal rainfall confirms the general trend of long-term cumulated precipitation in the Mediterranean area [6,24]. On the contrary, the results here obtained for temperature evidenced that global warming, also revealed in the Mediterranean and the Middle East [24], is not always observed everywhere and in each season of the year, because opposite trends linked to specific local features can be detected, as already evidenced in Calabria by Caloiero et al [23]. Moreover, it is important to highlight that when the comparison is carried out on results based on datasets with substantial differences, only limited conclusions about trends can be drawn.…”

“…In Italy, which can be considered as a climate change hotspot [21], variations in the probability density functions of the minimum and maximum daily temperature anomalies were studied by Simolo et al [22]. Caloiero et al [23] analysed the minimum and maximum monthly temperatures of 19 stations in Calabria and detected a positive trend for spring and summer months and a marked negative one in September.…”