A selection of weather type classification systems and examples of their application

Abstract

The paper discusses a selection of the most popular systems classifying weather types found in climatological literature. The review focuses on the choice of meteorological elements and their value ranges as the differentiating criteria. Examples of the application of some of these systems are presented, as well as a number of possible analyses that could be attempted. In order to investigate this, use was made of 1961–2010 meteorological data from stations in Warsaw (Poland) and Cologne (Germany). It was found that the annual and long-term changes in the types of weather reflect the diversity and variability of the climate in both cities very well, and allow the stability (non-changeability) of weather to be quantified.