Seasonal differentiation of maximum and minimum air temperature in Cracow and Prague in the period 1836-2007

Abstract

The paper presents the variability of maximum (Tmax) and minimum (Tmin) air temperature in individual seasons at two stations which represent the climatic conditions of Central Europe (Cracow and Prague). A series of daily measurements from the period 1836-2007 was used. Change tendencies of extreme temperature in the multi-annual period were compared using linear regression. It was stated that in Cracow and Prague the direction of change of Tmin and Tmax is almost the same (except for summer temperature), whereas the rate of change is not equal for every season. At both stations, temperature rose significantly, especially in winter; the highest increase in Tmin was recorded in Cracow, in Prague it was somewhat smaller. Summer is the only season in which Cracow's Tmax does not exhibit any tendency of change and Tmin grows slightly. Moreover, an analysis of the multi-annual variability of hot, very hot and frosty days as well as of days with severe frost was conducted, which allowed for a characterization of the thermal conditions of individual seasons. © Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2010.