Norddeutscher Klimamonitor – Klimazustand und Klimaentwicklung in Norddeutschland innerhalb der letzten 60 Jahre (1951-2010)
Background and Goals
The North German Climate Monitor is a web-based product providing information about the current state of climate research and recent climate change in northern Germany. It is developed by the North German Climate Office of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG) and the Regional Climate Office Hamburg of the German National Meteorological Service (DWD). Stationary measurements of the DWD observation network, measurement-based areal data sets and reanalyzes from the coastDat record for Northern Germany have been evaluated and visualized on a website.
Even with climatic elements which are considered to be robust and less error-prone, the evaluations show a margin of uncertainty regarding their condition and thus in terms of past changes too. Nevertheless all data sets indicate a warming of about 1,2 K in Northern Germany within the last 60 years. The warming observed over the last 30 years can furthermore be seen exemplary for future warming.
Content time
Research area/region
Country
- Germany
Region of implementation (all German federal states)
- Berlin
- Brandenburg
- Bremen
- Hamburg
- Mecklenburg Western Pomerania
- Lower Saxony
- Schleswig-Holstein
Natural spatial classification
- coasts: North Sea-/Baltic Sea coasts
- North-East German lowland
- North-West German lowland
Spatial resolution
other regions are selectable
Steps in the process of adaptation to climate change
Step 1: Understand and describe climate change
Approach and results
Outcomes of the North German Climate Monitor are based on stationary measurements of the DWD observation network and extensive data sets from various international research institutions. The areal data sets used include both hindcast and interpolated observational data. In terms of the representing the climate and previous changes, the respective records show different characteristics that need to be considered in the selection and interpretation.
Regarding evaluations of past climate changes in particular stationary data require a detailed investigation of each station, its history and an adequate interpretation of the measurements. Otherwise incorrect climate trends could be derived. Since stationary data provide information about the climate in the immediate vicinity of each station, extensive data are required in order to make conclusions at the regional level. Two kinds of surface data are integrated so far within the North German Climate Monitor outcomes: records from spatially interpolated measured data and records from numerical atmospheric models.
To show regional climate changes, two coastDat data sets had been evaluated in addition to the interpolated observational data. These are results of a reanalysis, i.e. similar to a weather forecast the atmospheric physics had been calculated using a numerical model. Unlike a forecast where there are data available only for initialization, there are data available for a reanalysis covering the entire period in general and can therefore be included in the modeling.
Parameter (climate signals)
- Altered rainfall patterns
- Higher average temperatures
- Extreme precipitation (incl. hail, snow)
- Storm
- Dry periods
Further Parameters
summer days hot days, tropical nights, frost days, ice days, last frost in spring, rainy days, heavy rain days (10 mm and 20 mm), snow days, longest drought, number of droughts, relative humidity, mean wind speed, storm intensities, storm days, windless days, sunshine duration, cloud cover, onset of the vegetation period, duration of vegetation period
Further times
Periods of 30 years duration: 1951-1980 to 1981-2010 (in 5-year steps)
Step 3: Develop and compare measures
Time horizon
- 2011–2040 (near future)
- 2021–2050 (near future)
- 2036–2065
- 2051–2080 (far future)
- 2071–2100 (far future)
Participants
Funding / Financing
German National Meteorological Service (DWD) and Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG)
Project management
North German Climate Office of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG)
Cooperation/Partners
Regional Climate Office Hamburg of the German National Meteorological Service (DWD)
Contact
Norddeutsches Küsten- und Klimabüro
Institut für Küstensysteme
Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht
Zentrum für Material- und Küstenforschung GmbH
Max-Planck-Str. 1
21502 Geesthacht
