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Rainfall variability in southern Spain on decadal to centennial time scales
Author(s) -
Rodrigo F.S.,
EstebanParra M.J.,
PozoVázquez D.,
CastroDíez Y.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
international journal of climatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.58
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-0088
pISSN - 0899-8418
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0088(20000615)20:7<721::aid-joc520>3.0.co;2-q
Subject(s) - climatology , centennial , north atlantic oscillation , series (stratigraphy) , environmental science , period (music) , el niño southern oscillation , southern oscillation , geology , geography , paleontology , physics , archaeology , acoustics
In this work a long rainfall series in Andalusia (southern Spain) is analysed. Methods of historical climatology were used to reconstruct a 500‐year series from historical sources. Different statistical tools were used to detect and characterize significant changes in this series. Results indicate rainfall fluctuations, without abrupt changes, in the following alternating dry and wet phases: 1501–1589 dry, 1590–1649 wet, 1650–1775 dry, 1776‐1937 wet and 1938–1997 dry. Possible causal mechanisms are discussed, emphasizing the important contribution of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) to rainfall variability in the region. Solar activity is discussed in relation to the Maunder Minimum period, and finally the past and present are compared. Results indicate that the magnitude of fluctuations is similar in the past and present. Copyright © 2000 Royal Meteorological Society