Articles | Volume 26, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-26-1999-2008
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-26-1999-2008
23 Jul 2008
 | 23 Jul 2008

Solar activity affects the occurrence of synoptic types over Europe

R. Huth, J. Kyselý, J. Bochníček, and P. Hejda

Abstract. The solar effects on tropospheric circulation over Europe are investigated by counting the occurrence of Hess-Brezowsky synoptic types under various levels of solar activity. Solar minima are accompanied by a lower incidence of westerly types and a higher incidence of easterly and northerly types. The types with a northeast and northwest flow are most frequent under a moderate solar activity. There is a weak tendency towards the anticyclonic (cyclonic) types to be less (more) frequent under moderate solar activity. Our results are in accord with previous studies, indicating a strengthened zonal flow in solar maxima and changes in the modes of low-frequency circulation variability. The results point to the fact that the effects of solar activity are not linear.