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Mean precipitation (CLIM 002) - Assessment published Nov 2012
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Annual precipitation trends since 1950 show an increase by up to 70 mm per decade in north-eastern and north-western Europe and a decrease by up to 70 mm in some parts of southern Europe.
Seasonal precipitation trends show an increase in winter precipitation in northern Europe and a decrease in southern Europe, albeit with large interannual variations.
The direction of future precipitation changes is simulated robustly in many parts of central and western Europe across all seasons. However, many parts of Europe, such as eastern and southern Europe, lack model consensus on the direction of change.
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Mean precipitation
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Snow cover (CLIM 008) - Assessment published Nov 2012
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Snow cover extent in the Northern Hemisphere has fallen by 7 % in March and 11 % in April during the past 4 decades. In winter and autumn no significant changes have occurred.
Snow mass in Europe has decreased by 7 % in March from 1982 to 2009.
Model simulations project widespread reductions in the extent and duration of snow cover in Europe over the 21st century. However, there are large uncertainties in the projections.
Changes in snow cover affect the Earth’s surface reflectivity, water resources, the flora and fauna and their ecology, agriculture, forestry, tourism, snow sports, transport and power generation.
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Snow cover
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Growing season for agricultural crops (CLIM 030) - Assessment published Nov 2012
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The thermal growing season of a number of agricultural crops in Europe has lengthened by 11.4 days on average from 1992 to 2008. The delay in the end of the growing season was more pronounced than the advance of its start.
The growing season is projected to increase further throughout most of Europe due to earlier onset of growth in spring and later senescence in autumn.
The projected lengthening of the thermal growing season would allow a northward expansion of warm-season crops to areas that were not previously suitable.
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Growing season for agricultural crops
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Extreme temperatures and health (CLIM 036) - Assessment published Nov 2012
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Mortality and morbidity increase, especially in vulnerable population groups, and general population well-being decreases during extreme cold spells and heat waves, as well as above and below local and seasonal comfort temperatures, with different temperature thresholds in Europe.
The number of warm days and nights has increased across Europe in recent decades. Heat waves over the last decade have caused tens of thousands of premature deaths in Europe.
Length, frequency and intensity of heat waves are very likely to increase in the future. This increase can lead to a substantial increase in mortality over the next decades, especially in vulnerable groups, unless adaptation measures are taken.
Cold-related mortality is projected to decrease in Europe due to climate change as well as better social, economic and housing conditions in many countries.
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Extreme temperatures and health
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Sea surface temperature (CLIM 013) - Assessment published Nov 2012
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Sea surface temperature in European seas is increasing more rapidly than in the global oceans.
The rate of increase in sea surface temperature in all European seas during the past 25 years is the largest ever measured in any previous 25-year period. It has been about 10 times faster than the average rate of increase during the past century and beyond.
Global sea surface temperature is projected to rise more slowly than atmospheric temperature.
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Sea surface temperature
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River flow drought (CLIM 018) - Assessment published Nov 2012
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Europe has been affected by several major droughts in recent decades, such as the catastrophic drought associated with the 2003 summer heat wave in central parts of the continent and the 2005 drought in the Iberian Peninsula.
Severity and frequency of droughts appear to have increased in parts of Europe, in particular in southern Europe.
Regions most prone to an increase in drought hazard are southern and south-eastern Europe, but minimum river flows will also decrease significantly in many other parts of the continent, especially in summer.
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River flow drought
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Water temperature (CLIM 019) - Assessment published Nov 2012
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Water temperatures in major European rivers have increased by 1–3 °C over the last century. Several time series show increasing lake and river temperatures all over Europe over the last 60 to 90 years.
Lake and river surface water temperatures are projected to increase with further projected increases in air temperature.
Increased temperature can result in marked changes in species composition and functioning of aquatic ecosystems.
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Water temperature
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Air pollution by ozone and health (CLIM 006) - Assessment published Nov 2012
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Ozone is both an important air pollutant and a GHG. Excessive exposure to ground-level ozone is estimated to cause about 20000 premature deaths per year in Europe.
Attribution of observed ozone exceedances, or changes therein, to individual causes, such as climate change, is difficult.
Future climate change is expected to increase ozone concentrations but this effect will most likely be outweighed by reduction in ozone levels due to expected future emission reductions.
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Air pollution by ozone and health
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Precipitation extremes (CLIM 004) - Assessment published Nov 2012
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There are no widespread significant trends in either the number of consecutive dry or wet days across Europe.
Heavy precipitation events are likely to become more frequent in most parts of Europe. The changes are strongest in Scandinavia in winter and in northern and eastern central Europe in summer.
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Precipitation extremes
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