Characteristics of the extreme warm and cold days over Greece

Abstract

An attempt is made to study the characteristics of the extreme warm and cold days over the major area of Greece. To meet this objective, the daily maximum and minimum air temperature values are used, obtained from seventeen (17) synoptic weather stations, covering the broad study area. The extreme warm and cold days are identified based upon the proposed and adopted criteria, which are applied for the period 1961–2000. Seven regional decadal indices measuring the frequency of occurrence, the magnitude and the intensity of the extreme temperature values are calculated. The study of the indices revealed that after the 70' the frequency of occurrence and the intensity of cold days follow a negative trend, as opposed to the frequency of occurrence and the intensity of the warm days that follow a positive trend. Moreover, the proposed indices confirm the cooling conditions that Greece experienced in the 70's and early 80's and the warming trend afterwards.