Temperature changes in Europe 1900-1935; summer season (JJA)

Surface air temperature changes June-August 1900-1935 estimated as the difference between the simple 11yr means for the periods 1895-1905 and 1930-1940. Longitudes and latitudes are indicated along the axis of the diagram.

Summer (June-August)

The period 1900-1935 is generally in Europe recognised as a period of rapid warming after the end of the Little Ice Age. The summer conditions appear to have been characterised by warmer conditions over most over Europe, with the exception of the Iberian Peninsula and southwestern France. Also an area north of the Black Sea show a cooling tendency during this period. The summer warming was most pronounced in northernmost Scandinavia and Russia. The great warming over this region may suggest that conditions high air pressure and relative little cloud cover became more common towards the end of the time interval. Especially at high latitudes with midnight sun a reduced cloud cover would add to the number of hours with unobstructed direct solar radiation. Conversely, the cooling area over the western Mediterranean may have been affected by an increasing number of cyclones. The general increase of summer temperature presumably had consequences for the length of the plant growing season, as is seen from the table below.

Source: Lamb 1977.