Ensemble meteorological reconstruction using circulation analogues of 1781–1785
P. Yiou1,M. Boichu2,R. Vautard1,M. Vrac1,S. Jourdain3,E. Garnier4,F. Fluteau5,and L. Menut2P. Yiou et al. P. Yiou1,M. Boichu2,R. Vautard1,M. Vrac1,S. Jourdain3,E. Garnier4,F. Fluteau5,and L. Menut2
1Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ & IPSL – UMR8212, CE Saclay l'Orme des Merisiers, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
2Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, UMR8539 X-ENS-UPMC & IPSL, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau, France
3DClim, Météo France, 42 Avenue G. Coriolis, 31057 Toulouse, France
4Institut Universitaire de France and Centre de Recherche d'Histoire Quantitative, CNRS – UMR6583 Université de Caen, 14032 Caen, France
5Institut de Physique du Globe, UMR7154, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 1 rue Jussieu, 75238 Paris, France
1Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ & IPSL – UMR8212, CE Saclay l'Orme des Merisiers, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
2Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, UMR8539 X-ENS-UPMC & IPSL, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau, France
3DClim, Météo France, 42 Avenue G. Coriolis, 31057 Toulouse, France
4Institut Universitaire de France and Centre de Recherche d'Histoire Quantitative, CNRS – UMR6583 Université de Caen, 14032 Caen, France
5Institut de Physique du Globe, UMR7154, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 1 rue Jussieu, 75238 Paris, France
Received: 01 Aug 2013 – Discussion started: 06 Sep 2013 – Revised: 12 Feb 2014 – Accepted: 10 Mar 2014 – Published: 24 Apr 2014
Abstract. This paper uses a method of atmospheric flow analogues to reconstruct an ensemble of atmospheric variables (namely sea-level pressure, surface temperature and wind speed) between 1781 and 1785. The properties of this ensemble are investigated and tested against observations of temperature. The goal of the paper is to assess whether the atmospheric circulation during the Laki volcanic eruption (in 1783) and the subsequent winter were similar to the conditions that prevailed in the winter 2009/2010 and during spring 2010. We find that the 3 months following the Laki eruption in June 1783 barely had analogues in 2010. The cold winter of 1783/1784 yielded circulation analogues in 2009/2010. The reconstructed surface temperature over land bears significant correlations with local observations, although the amplitude of the reconstruction is weaker.
