---
OA_place: publisher
OA_type: free access
_id: '22494'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: Changes in near-surface humidity are evaluated in relation to changes in other
    meteorological variables such as air temperature, precipitation, and sunshine
    duration for a 31 year period (1981–2011) using hourly time series recorded in
    Switzerland. Trends in meteorological variables are analyzed at the seasonal and
    subdaily scale, and changes in water vapor are tested for Clausius-Clapeyron scaling.
    Results show a marked seasonality of climatic changes with a trend toward warmer,
    clearer, and drier near-surface atmosphere strengthening from January to June.
    During this period considerable negative trends in relative humidity are detected.
    An abrupt shift in climatic trends occurs during the month of July, after which
    warming trends are considerably smaller and relative humidity remains constant
    or increases. An evaluation of reanalysis products demonstrates strong consistency
    with station observations and when combined with teleconnection indices supports
    the hypothesis that shifts in the general circulation patterns rather than local
    feedbacks are the principal drivers of observed seasonality of climate change.
    However, local feedbacks can play a role in enhancing summer humidity and convective
    activity (lightning and evening precipitation). Subdaily changes are significant
    with more pronounced daytime trends of temperature and humidity during spring
    and the opposite during summer. The strong seasonality and diurnal variability
    of changes in near-surface meteorology over the last three decades in Switzerland
    warns against climate change impact assessments at local scale that consider uniform
    changes in air temperature and assume Clausius-Clapeyron scaling for near-surface
    humidity.
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Simone
  full_name: Fatichi, Simone
  id: cf8e546b-a9b0-11f0-a43b-aa89ed1b56d6
  last_name: Fatichi
- first_name: Peter
  full_name: Molnar, Peter
  last_name: Molnar
- first_name: Theodoros
  full_name: Mastrotheodoros, Theodoros
  last_name: Mastrotheodoros
- first_name: Paolo
  full_name: Burlando, Paolo
  last_name: Burlando
citation:
  ama: 'Fatichi S, Molnar P, Mastrotheodoros T, Burlando P. Diurnal and seasonal changes
    in near‐surface humidity in a complex orography. <i>Journal of Geophysical Research:
    Atmospheres</i>. 2015;120(6):2358-2374. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/2014jd022537">10.1002/2014jd022537</a>'
  apa: 'Fatichi, S., Molnar, P., Mastrotheodoros, T., &#38; Burlando, P. (2015). Diurnal
    and seasonal changes in near‐surface humidity in a complex orography. <i>Journal
    of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres</i>. American Geophysical Union. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/2014jd022537">https://doi.org/10.1002/2014jd022537</a>'
  chicago: 'Fatichi, Simone, Peter Molnar, Theodoros Mastrotheodoros, and Paolo Burlando.
    “Diurnal and Seasonal Changes in Near‐surface Humidity in a Complex Orography.”
    <i>Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres</i>. American Geophysical Union,
    2015. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/2014jd022537">https://doi.org/10.1002/2014jd022537</a>.'
  ieee: 'S. Fatichi, P. Molnar, T. Mastrotheodoros, and P. Burlando, “Diurnal and
    seasonal changes in near‐surface humidity in a complex orography,” <i>Journal
    of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres</i>, vol. 120, no. 6. American Geophysical
    Union, pp. 2358–2374, 2015.'
  ista: 'Fatichi S, Molnar P, Mastrotheodoros T, Burlando P. 2015. Diurnal and seasonal
    changes in near‐surface humidity in a complex orography. Journal of Geophysical
    Research: Atmospheres. 120(6), 2358–2374.'
  mla: 'Fatichi, Simone, et al. “Diurnal and Seasonal Changes in Near‐surface Humidity
    in a Complex Orography.” <i>Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres</i>,
    vol. 120, no. 6, American Geophysical Union, 2015, pp. 2358–74, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/2014jd022537">10.1002/2014jd022537</a>.'
  short: 'S. Fatichi, P. Molnar, T. Mastrotheodoros, P. Burlando, Journal of Geophysical
    Research: Atmospheres 120 (2015) 2358–2374.'
das_tickbox: '1'
date_created: 2026-07-27T12:30:23Z
date_published: 2015-03-27T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2026-08-12T14:08:33Z
day: '27'
doi: 10.1002/2014jd022537
extern: '1'
fulldoi: https://doi.org/10.1002/2014jd022537
intvolume: '       120'
issue: '6'
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
  url: https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JD022537
month: '03'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
page: 2358-2374
publication: 'Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres'
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 2169-8996
  issn:
  - 2169-897X
publication_status: published
publisher: American Geophysical Union
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Diurnal and seasonal changes in near‐surface humidity in a complex orography
type: journal_article
user_id: ba8df636-2132-11f1-aed0-ed93e2281fdd
volume: 120
year: '2015'
...