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Long-Term Variability and Trends in the Characteristics of Heating Seasons in Central Europe

Katarzyna Szyga-Pluta

Katarzyna Szyga-Pluta

Department of Meteorology and Climatology, Institute of Physical Geography and Environmental Planning, Adam Mickiewicz UniversityPoznań, Poland
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Szyga-Pluta, Katarzyna
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Katarzyna Piotrowicz

Katarzyna Piotrowicz

Department of Climatology, Institute of Geography and Spatial Management, Jagiellonian UniversityKraków, Poland
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Feb 07, 2025
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Published Online: Feb 07, 2025
Page range: 71 - 84
Received: Nov 01, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14746/quageo-2025-0005
Keywords
© 2025 Katarzyna Szyga-Pluta et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Fig. 1.

Location of meteorological stations.
Location of meteorological stations.

Fig. 2.

Dates of start and end and duration in the particular heating seasons in Central Europe in the period 1961/62–2020/21.
Dates of start and end and duration in the particular heating seasons in Central Europe in the period 1961/62–2020/21.

Fig. 3.

Sum of heating degree-days (HDDs) in the particular heating season (HSs) in Central Europe in the period 1961/62–2020/21.
Sum of heating degree-days (HDDs) in the particular heating season (HSs) in Central Europe in the period 1961/62–2020/21.

Fig. 4.

Monthly frequency of the number of heating degree-days (HDDs) during heating season (HS) in Central Europe in the period 1961/62–2020/21.
Monthly frequency of the number of heating degree-days (HDDs) during heating season (HS) in Central Europe in the period 1961/62–2020/21.

Fig. 5.

Monthly number of heating degree-days (HDDs) outside the heating season (HS) in Central Europe in the period 1961/62–2020/21.
Monthly number of heating degree-days (HDDs) outside the heating season (HS) in Central Europe in the period 1961/62–2020/21.

Fig. 6.

Heating degree-days (HDD) in degree days. The mean monthly values in heating seasons (HS) in three 20-year periods and years 1961/62–2020/21.
Heating degree-days (HDD) in degree days. The mean monthly values in heating seasons (HS) in three 20-year periods and years 1961/62–2020/21.

Fig. 7.

The relationship between the average annual air temperature and the parameters of the heating season (HS): (A) start date, (B) end date, (C) length, and (D) heating degree-days (HDD).
The relationship between the average annual air temperature and the parameters of the heating season (HS): (A) start date, (B) end date, (C) length, and (D) heating degree-days (HDD).

Statistical characteristics of heating degree-days (HDDs) in particular stations in Central Europe in the period 1961/62–2020/21_

Station Mean Max Min σ V Trend
[°C] [°C] (year) [°C] [%] [°C per 10 years]
Debrecen 2986 3541 (1963/64) 2296 (2006/07) 279.4 9.4 –87.92*
Hamburg 2964 3526 (1962/63) 2171 (2006/07) 267.5 9.0 –55.86*
Köln 2783 3471 (1962/63) 1971 (2006/07) 261.9 9.4 –92.38*
Kraków 3476 4113 (1995/96) 2752 (2006/07) 314.2 9.0 –95.47*
Lublin 3669 4375 (1986/87) 2916 (2006/07) 312.9 8.5 –83.69*
München 3053 3817 (1962/63) 2286 (2006/07) 263.2 8.6 –85.53*
Potsdam 3162 3850 (1962/63) 2237 (2006/07) 318.9 10.1 –103.89*
Poznań 3336 4118 (1962/63) 2511 (2006/07) 341.8 10.2 –110.25*
Praha 2810 3556 (1962/63) 1963 (2006/07) 301.4 10.7 –113.16*
Szczecin 3228 4044 (1962/63) 2323 (2006/07) 337.2 10.4 –107.35*
Warszawa 3485 4209 (1962/63) 2651 (2006/07) 350.7 10.1 –117.38*
Wien 2749 3470 (1962/63) 2012 (2006/07) 283.5 10.3 –102.35*

Statistical characteristics of the beginning, end, and duration of the heating season at selected stations in Central Europe in 1961/62–2020/21_

Station Start [date] End [date] Duration [days]
Mean σ V Trend Mean σ V Trend Mean σ V Trend
[days] [%] [per 10 years] [days] [%] [per 10 years] [days] [%] [per 10 years]
Debrecen 18.09 11.6 4.4 0.68 12.05 14.2 2.9 –1.75 238.6 18.1 7.6 –2.43*
Hamburg 11.09 10.3 4.0 –0.01 25.05 9.9 1.9 –0.22 258.0 14.1 5.5 –0.21
Köln 11.09 10.6 4.1 –0.07 26.05 9.4 1.8 –1.49* 259.3 13.2 5.1 –1.43
Kraków 09.09 9.6 3.8 1.26 25.05 11.1 2.2 –1.79* 260.1 14.8 5.7 –3.05*
Lublin 06.09 9.6 3.8 1.23 26.05 10.8 2.1 –0.66 263.9 13.5 5.1 –1.89*
München 13.09 11.7 4.5 –0.90 25.05 10.9 2.1 –1.03 256.1 15.0 5.9 –0.13
Potsdam 12.09 11.7 4.6 0.65 25.05 11.1 2.2 –1.35 257.6 16.2 6.3 –2.01
Poznań 09.09 10.1 4.0 1.48 23.05 12.3 2.4 –1.59 258.3 15.8 6.1 –3.07*
Praha 17.09 11.7 4.5 0.69 16.05 14.7 2.9 –2.63* 243.6 19.1 7.9 –3.32*
Szczecin 09.09 10.9 4.3 1.12 26.05 10.4 2.0 –1.31 260.9 15.3 5.8 –2.43*
Warszawa 09.09 11.5 4.5 1.97* 22.05 13.7 2.7 –1.52 256.5 17.3 6.8 –3.50
Wien 24.09 9.9 3.7 0.59 15.05 15.2 3.0 –2.56* 235.4 15.3 6.5 –3.16*

Location of meteorological stations, number of populations of selected cities, and average long-term air temperature_

Station Country φ [N] λ [E] H Population in 2022* Mean annual air temperature (1961–2020)
[m a.s.l.] [Thousand] [°C]
Debrecen Hungary 47°29' 21°36' 107 204.1 10.4
Hamburg Germany 53°32' 09°58' 29 1739.1 9.7
Köln Germany 50°52' 07°09' 92 1073.1 10.3
Kraków Poland 50°04' 19°48' 237 755.0 8.4
Lublin Poland 51°13' 22°23' 239 360.0 7.8
München Germany 48°08' 11°36' 521 1260.4 9.7
Potsdam Germany 52°23' 13°04 81 183.4 9.3
Poznań Poland 52°25' 16°50' 83 570.3 8.8
Praha Czech Republic 50°05' 14°25' 190 1165.6 10.7
Szczecin Poland 53°23' 14°37' 1 407.8 9.0
Warszawa Poland 52°09' 20°57' 106 1702.1 8.4
Wien Austria 48°15' 16°21 198 1691.5 10.9
Language:
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Journal Subjects:
Geosciences, Geography
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