Air temperature changes in Toruń (central Poland) from 1871 to 2010

The article presents a detailed analysis of changes in air temperature in Toruń in the period 1871–2010 on the basis of homogenised monthly, seasonal and annual air temperature series which have been newly constructed (i.e. extended by the 50 years of 1871–1920). Over the 140-year study period, a sizeable and statistically significant increase of 0.1 °C per decade was found in the air temperature in Toruń. The greatest increases occurred for spring and winter, at 0.12 and 0.11 °C, respectively. A lesser warming, meanwhile, was recorded for autumn (0.10 °C/10 years), and particularly for summer (0.07 °C/10 years). The air temperature trends are statistically significant for all seasons. Air temperature differences between the monthly averages of three analysed subperiods (1871–1900, 1901–1950 and 1951–2010) and averages for the entire period under review rarely exceeded ± 0.5 °C. In all of these periods, the highest average air temperatures occurred in July and the lowest in January. The period of 1981–2010 had the highest frequency of occurrence of very and extremely warm seasons and years. Meanwhile, the highest frequency of very and extremely cool seasons and years was recorded in the 1940s and in the nineteenth century. In the period of 1871–2010, winters shortened markedly (by 7%) and summers lengthened by 3.8%. All of the presented aspects of air temperature in Toruń, which is representative of the climate of central Poland, are in close agreement with the findings of analogous studies of the same for other areas of Poland and Central Europe

Risks caused by the climate change to different areas of human life and economy

W pracy przedstawiono zagrożenia spowodowane zmianami klimatu, na przykładzie katastrofalnych zjawisk i zdarzeń pogodowych, jakie miały miejsce w naszym kraju w ostatnich kilkunastu latach. Opisane przypadki katastrof są przykładami skrajnie niekorzystnego ich wpływu na różne dziedziny gospodarki, jak również świadczą o bezpośrednim zagrożeniu zdrowia i życia człowieka. Dokonano klasyfikacji ekstremalnych zjawisk i zdarzeń atmosferycznych, w zależności od związku z różnymi elementami pogody. Dużo miejsca poświęcono skutkom wybranych katastrof pogodowych w Polsce - zwrócono uwagę na trzy aspekty poniesionych strat: przyrodniczy, ekonomiczny oraz społeczny. Autorzy podjęli próbę wskazania takich rozwiązań w różnych dziedzinach działalności gospodarczej, które pozwoliłyby na maksymalną redukcję szkód wywołanych przez groźne zjawiska i zdarzenia pogodowe w sferze społeczno-ekonomicznej, jak i odnośnie ochrony ludzkiego zdrowia i życia.This paper discusses the very actual issue of contemporary climate warming and its impact upon people's lives. A number of environmental dangers are either directly or indirectly caused by unfavorable weather conditions, which can be catastrophic in their own right. Undoubtedly, such events were also common in the past, especially in Poland's climatic zone. The contemporary world's dependence on energy production, construction, farming efficiency, and telecomunications facilitates these environmental dangers. Special attention needs to be paid to those weather phenomena which are both virtually undetectable and unstoppable in the face of insuitable precautions. It has been calculated that about 90% of all natural disasters and atastrophies are caused by sudden and violent weather disturbances. Some climatologists claim that the number of catastrophic events per year has increased in the last few decades. This article identifies a set of meteorological threats connected with unfavorable thermal conditions (e.g. severe heat waves, severe frosts and ground frosts), severe rainfall and thunderstorms, tornados, changes in the local biosphere (e.g. the spread of sylvan pests), and more. It is suggested that one way to prevent the negative effects of violent weather disturbances is through scrupulous observation and documentation. These two practices should be subsequently coupled with the utilization of recent technical inovations designed to help people cope with nature in general. Other important steps include: improving water dam and levee construction, increasing building material quality, changing crop structure, and modernizing warning systems, among others. It is also extremely important to remember that the opinions of hydrologists, meteorologists and other environmental scientists should be taken into consideration while designing and erecting objects that would interfere with the natural environment