Warm winter and cold summer spells in Spitsbergen and their circulation conditions

Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine multi-annual changes and variability of occurrence of cold spells in summer and warm spells in winter on Spitsbergen in the period 1976–2016, and circulation conditions of their occurrence. Cold days in summer were defined as days with mean daily air temperature lower than temperature corresponding to the 10th percentile from daily temperature, and warm days in winter as days with mean daily air temperature exceeding the 90th percentile from daily air temperature. The research showed a statistically significant increase in mean air temperature, the rate of which in winter was more than four times higher than in summer. The observed warming translated into a decrease in the number of cold days in summer (-2.5 days/10 years in Svalbard Lufthavn and -1.3 days/10 years in Ny-Ålesund) and an increase in the number of warm days in winter (2.7 days/10 years in Svalbard Lufthavn and 2.4 days/10 years in Ny-Ålesund), and warm and cold spells related to the frequency of such days. The rate of the changes was higher in Svalbard Lufthavn than in Ny-Ålesund. The occurrence of cold days and cold spells was particularly related to the advection of air masses from the north-western sector. The occurrence of warm days and warm spells was related to the advection of air masses from the south-west.