Articles | Volume 15, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-15-1395-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-15-1395-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
30 Jul 2019
Research article |
| 30 Jul 2019
| 30 Jul 2019
Causes of increased flood frequency in central Europe in the 19th century
Stefan Brönnimann
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Institute of Geography, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Luca Frigerio
Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Institute of Geography, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Mikhaël Schwander
Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Institute of Geography, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss, Geneva, Switzerland
Marco Rohrer
Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Institute of Geography, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Peter Stucki
Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Institute of Geography, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Jörg Franke
Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Institute of Geography, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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- The observed evolution of sub‐daily to multi‐day heavy precipitation in Switzerland V. Bauer & S. Scherrer 10.1002/asl.1240
- Evaluating changes in flood frequency due to climate change in the Western Cape, South Africa K. Pillay & M. Simatele 10.1007/s00477-024-02786-0
- Synthetic weather diaries: concept and application to Swiss weather in 1816 S. Brönnimann 10.5194/cp-16-1937-2020
- Local geomorphic effects in the presence of accumulations of different densities H. Al-Zawaidah et al. 10.1016/j.geomorph.2021.107838
- Evaluation des incertitudes et de l’homogénéité de longues séries de débits de crue sur le Rhin à Bâle (1225–2017) et Maxau (1815–2018) M. Lang et al. 10.1080/27678490.2022.2053313
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- From climate to weather reconstructions S. Brönnimann & X. Wang 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000034
- Early instrumental meteorological measurements in Switzerland L. Pfister et al. 10.5194/cp-15-1345-2019
- Last phase of the Little Ice Age forced by volcanic eruptions S. Brönnimann et al. 10.1038/s41561-019-0402-y
10 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Past evolution of western Europe large-scale circulation and link to precipitation trend in the northern French Alps A. Blanc et al. 10.5194/wcd-3-231-2022
- 600 years of wine must quality and April to August temperatures in western Europe 1420–2019 C. Pfister et al. 10.5194/cp-20-1387-2024
- Climate projections in Lake Maggiore watershed using statistical downscaling model H. Saidi et al. 10.3354/cr01613
- The observed evolution of sub‐daily to multi‐day heavy precipitation in Switzerland V. Bauer & S. Scherrer 10.1002/asl.1240
- Evaluating changes in flood frequency due to climate change in the Western Cape, South Africa K. Pillay & M. Simatele 10.1007/s00477-024-02786-0
- Synthetic weather diaries: concept and application to Swiss weather in 1816 S. Brönnimann 10.5194/cp-16-1937-2020
- Local geomorphic effects in the presence of accumulations of different densities H. Al-Zawaidah et al. 10.1016/j.geomorph.2021.107838
- Evaluation des incertitudes et de l’homogénéité de longues séries de débits de crue sur le Rhin à Bâle (1225–2017) et Maxau (1815–2018) M. Lang et al. 10.1080/27678490.2022.2053313
- Influence of warming and atmospheric circulation changes on multidecadal European flood variability S. Brönnimann et al. 10.5194/cp-18-919-2022
- From climate to weather reconstructions S. Brönnimann & X. Wang 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000034
Latest update: 29 Jul 2025
Short summary
During the 19th century flood frequency was high in central Europe, but it was low in the mid-20th century. This paper tracks these decadal changes in flood frequency for the case of Switzerland from peak discharge data back to precipitation data and daily weather reconstructions. We find an increased frequency in flood-prone weather types during large parts of the 19th century and decreased frequency in the mid-20th century. Sea-surface temperature anomalies can only explain a small part of it.
During the 19th century flood frequency was high in central Europe, but it was low in the...
