Abstract

Annual-to-decadal variability in northern midlatitude temperature is dominated by the cold season. However, climate field reconstructions are often based on tree rings that represent the growing season. Here we present cold-season (October-to-May average) temperature field reconstructions for the northern midlatitudes, 1701-1905, based on extensive phenological data (freezing and thawing dates of rivers, plant observations). Northern midlatitude land temperatures exceeded the variability range of the 18th and 19th centuries by the 1940s, to which recent warming has added another 1.5 °C. A sequences of cold winters 1808/9-1815/6 can be explained by two volcanic eruptions and unusual atmospheric flow. Weak southwesterlies over Western Europe in early winter caused low Eurasian temperatures, which persisted into spring even though the flow pattern did not. Twentieth century data and model simulations confirm this persistence and point to increased snow cover as a cause, consistent with sparse information on Eurasian snow in the early 19th century.

A cold season climate reconstruction for the northern midlatitudes based on freezing and thawing dates of rivers shows a cold spell 1808/9-1815/6 affecting Eurasia. In addition to two volcanic eruptions, increased snow cover played an important role.

Details

Title
A decade of cold Eurasian winters reconstructed for the early 19th century
Author
Reichen Lukas 1 ; Angela-Maria, Burgdorf 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Brönnimann, Stefan 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Franke Jörg 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Hand, Ralf 1 ; Valler Veronika 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Samakinwa Eric 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Brugnara Yuri 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Rutishauser This 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 University of Bern, Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research and Institute of Geography, Bern, Switzerland (GRID:grid.5734.5) (ISNI:0000 0001 0726 5157) 
Publication year
2022
Publication date
2022
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20411723
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2652408597
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2022. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.