Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-2024-49
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-2024-49
16 Oct 2024
 | 16 Oct 2024
Status: a revised version of this preprint is currently under review for the journal CP.

Assessing the most severe subsistence crisis of the 17th century in the Northwest of the Iberian Peninsula: a meteorological perspective

Maite deCastro, Jose González-Cao, Nicolás deCastro, Juan J. Taboada, Jose M. Vaquero, and Moncho Gómez-Gesteira

Abstract. The analysis of climate behavior over centuries reveals how environmental forces shaped society and helps contextualize modern climate trends and future projections. The torrential rains in several regions of the Eastern Atlantic during 1768–1769 triggered the last and most severe agricultural crisis in Galicia and Northern Portugal, resulting in unprecedented mortality. The atmospheric conditions of this historical episode were analyzed using the EKF400v2 paleo-reanalysis dataset, which spans from the 17th century to the early 21st century. From June 1768 to May 1769, the rainfall anomaly in Galicia and Northern Portugal was positive in 11 out of 12 months. Although the rainfall in Northern Portugal appeared less intense than in Galicia, June 1768 had the highest positive rain anomaly of the century, and September 1768 had the second-highest. This excess precipitation agrees with the occurrence of pro-Serenitate rogations and written testimonies indicating an unusually high number of rainy days between June 1768 and May 1769. The atmospheric synoptic patterns for the rainiest months show negative anomalies in both sea level pressure and 500 hPa geopotential height in the northeast Atlantic. These patterns are associated with troughs in the northeastern Atlantic that induce the formation of surface low-pressure systems and hinder the eastward progression of anticyclones into the region, resulting in more frequent episodes of rain and cold than usual.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
Maite deCastro, Jose González-Cao, Nicolás deCastro, Juan J. Taboada, Jose M. Vaquero, and Moncho Gómez-Gesteira

Status: final response (author comments only)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • CC1: 'Comment on cp-2024-49- A short comment on the title and Figs 4,5, and 6', Zoltán Kern, 17 Oct 2024
    • CC2: 'Reply on CC1', Maite deCastro, 17 Oct 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on CC1', Maite deCastro, 12 Dec 2024
  • RC1: 'Comment on cp-2024-49', Anonymous Referee #1, 09 Nov 2024
    • CC3: 'Reply on RC1', Maite deCastro, 11 Nov 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on CC1', Maite deCastro, 12 Dec 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC1', Maite deCastro, 12 Dec 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on cp-2024-49', Anonymous Referee #2, 10 Nov 2024
Maite deCastro, Jose González-Cao, Nicolás deCastro, Juan J. Taboada, Jose M. Vaquero, and Moncho Gómez-Gesteira
Maite deCastro, Jose González-Cao, Nicolás deCastro, Juan J. Taboada, Jose M. Vaquero, and Moncho Gómez-Gesteira

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Short summary
Torrential rains in the Eastern Atlantic during 1768–1769 caused the worst agricultural crisis in Galicia and Northern Portugal. Using the EKF400v2 paleo-reanalysis dataset, it was found that the rainfall anomaly was positive in 11 out of 12 months. June 1768 saw the highest positive rain anomaly of the century, and September 1768 the second-highest. The atmospheric synoptic patterns show negative anomalies in sea level pressure and 500 hPa. These patterns induce surface low-pressure systems.