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Recent trends in Tuscany (Italy) summer temperature and indices of extremes

  1. Giorgio Bartolini1,*,
  2. Marco Morabito1,
  3. Alfonso Crisci2,
  4. Daniele Grifoni2,
  5. Tommaso Torrigiani1,
  6. Martina Petralli1,
  7. Giampiero Maracchi2,
  8. Simone Orlandini1

Article first published online: 13 FEB 2008

DOI: 10.1002/joc.1673

Issue

International Journal of Climatology

International Journal of Climatology

Volume 28, Issue 13, pages 1751–1760, 15 November 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

Bartolini, G., Morabito, M., Crisci, A., Grifoni, D., Torrigiani, T., Petralli, M., Maracchi, G. and Orlandini, S. (2008), Recent trends in Tuscany (Italy) summer temperature and indices of extremes. Int. J. Climatol., 28: 1751–1760. doi: 10.1002/joc.1673

Author Information

  1. 1

    Interdepartmental Centre of Bioclimatology, University of Florence, Piazzale delle Cascine 18-50144 Florence, Italy

  2. 2

    Institute of Biometeorology, IBIMET-CNR, Via G. Caproni, 8-50145 Florence, Italy

*Interdepartmental Centre of Bioclimatology, University of Florence, Piazzale delle Cascine 18-50144 Florence, Italy.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 16 OCT 2008
  2. Article first published online: 13 FEB 2008
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 30 NOV 2007
  4. Manuscript Revised: 3 OCT 2007
  5. Manuscript Received: 4 JAN 2007

Funded by

  • Tuscany Region
  • Servizio Sanitario Regionale

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Keywords:

  • daily meteorological observations;
  • summer temperature;
  • extreme daily temperatures;
  • diurnal temperature range;
  • trend estimation;
  • inter-annual variability;
  • central Italy

Abstract

In the past few decades, many studies showed a significant worldwide warming, and consequently, changes in frequency and persistence of extreme high-temperature events were observed. In order to analyse summer Tuscany (Italy) patterns of climate change during the period 1955–2004, indices of temperature and of extreme events were investigated for evidence of trend and change in inter-annual variability by using data of 40 weather stations. Least square regression analysis and Theil-Sen nonparametric regression were applied for evidence of trends. The Mann–Kendall test was applied to each time series to look for statistically significant trends.

The results showed a general increase in minimum and maximum temperatures and extreme temperature events. Maximum temperature increase (+0.44 °C/decade) was slightly greater than minimum temperature (+0.38 °C/decade) and consequently, an increase in summer daily temperature range (DTR) was noted (+0.06 °C/decade).

Inter-annual summer climate variability showed an increasing trend in the whole region, especially in regard to extreme event occurrences while a small decreasing trend concerning diurnal temperature range was observed. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society

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