Similarities and Differences in the Mechanisms Causing the European Summer Heatwaves in 2003, 2010, and 2018

Earth's Future

Ling Huang¹  Deliang Chen²  Xuebang Liu³  Bin He³  Lanlan Guo⁴ 

[1] College of Urban and Environmental Sciences Peking University Beijing China;Department of Earth Sciences University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden;State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, College of Global Change and Earth System Science Beijing Normal University Beijing China;State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, School of Geography Beijing Normal University Beijing China;

关键词: Europe heatwave, atmospheric circulation, soil moisture‐temperature coupling, land cover;    2018;   

DOI  :  10.1029/2019EF001386

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Abstract The mechanisms causing European heatwaves in recent years, particularly their differences among several heatwaves, are poorly understood. Here atmospheric circulation anomalies and soil moisture‐temperature coupling during the summer 2018 heatwave are comprehensively examined and compared with the 2003 and 2010 heatwaves using ERA5 reanalysis, model simulations, and eddy covariance flux measurements. We show that the 2018 heatwave successively affected northern and central Europe, and the peak temperature in Finland and northwest Russia broke historical records of the past 40 years. Although three heatwaves were all initially triggered by atmospheric circulation anomalies, the strong moisture‐temperature coupling were found to further strengthen the 2003 and 2010 heatwaves. This coupling was also strong in central Europe during 2018 heatwave, but was weak in the northern European center of the heatwaves. The high temperature in 2018 was mainly due to increases in the amount of net surface radiation caused by the clear skies associated with reduced precipitation. Furthermore, we also find that land cover plays a critical role in determining the occurrence and strength of soil moisture‐temperature coupling. Cropland/grassland depletes soil moisture more readily than forests, thereby triggering a more rapid release of sensible fluxes as observed during 2018 heatwave.

【 授权许可】

Unknown