Małgorzata Falarz
Articles
Przegląd Geograficzny (2025) tom 97, zeszyt 2, pp. 135-148 | 
Full text
doi: https://doi.org/10.7163/PrzG.2025.2.1
Abstract
The paper examines changes and variability of the physiological air humidity deficit index (D) at the summit of Kasprowy Wierch in the period 1971‑2020. The analysis comprised annual and long‑term patterns of the average values, absolute minima and maxima, and the number and share of days with a perception of comfort and dryness. The conditional probability of the occurrence of conditions of perceptibility of air humidity for different air masses was calculated. The highest values of the D index occur at Kasprowy Wierch in winter, the lowest – in summer. The average, maximum and minimum values of the D index in the long‑term distribution show a negative trend on an annual basis. Perception of humidity comfort occurs from April to October, peaking in August. Occasionally, days with index values interpreted as sultry do occur. In the long‑term period covered in the study, the share of days with perception of physiological comfort of air humidity increases significantly, while days perceived as dry decreases significantly. The conditional probability of perceiving dryness in the air is the highest during the advection of arctic air over southern Poland. For comfortable air humidity it is highest when tropical air passes over southern Poland. The high parts of the Tatra Mountains are unaffected by local anthropogenic impacts. Nevertheless, significant trends in the biometeorological index are observed, linked to air humidity conditions, which are a consequence of global climate change.
Keywords: bioclimatology, physiological air humidity deficit, Kasprowy Wierch, climate change
[roksana.szokalska@o365.us.edu.pl], University of Silesia in Katowice, Faculty of Natural Sciences
[malgorzata.falarz@us.edu.pl], University of Silesia in Katowice, Faculty of Natural Sciences
Citation
APA: Szokalska, R., & Falarz, M. (2025). Changes and variability of the physiological air humidity deficit index at Kasprowy Wierch (1971‑2020) and the impact of atmospheric circulation. Przegląd Geograficzny, 97(2), 135-148. https://doi.org/10.7163/PrzG.2025.2.1
MLA: Szokalska, Roksana, and Falarz, Małgorzata. "Changes and variability of the physiological air humidity deficit index at Kasprowy Wierch (1971‑2020) and the impact of atmospheric circulation". Przegląd Geograficzny, vol. 97, no. 2, 2025, pp. 135-148. https://doi.org/10.7163/PrzG.2025.2.1
Chicago: Szokalska, Roksana, and Falarz, Małgorzata. "Changes and variability of the physiological air humidity deficit index at Kasprowy Wierch (1971‑2020) and the impact of atmospheric circulation". Przegląd Geograficzny 97, no. 2 (2025): 135-148. https://doi.org/10.7163/PrzG.2025.2.1
Harvard: Szokalska, R., & Falarz, M. 2025. "Changes and variability of the physiological air humidity deficit index at Kasprowy Wierch (1971‑2020) and the impact of atmospheric circulation". Przegląd Geograficzny, vol. 97, no. 2, pp. 135-148. https://doi.org/10.7163/PrzG.2025.2.1
Przegląd Geograficzny (2025) tom 97, zeszyt 2, pp. 149-163 | Full text
doi: https://doi.org/10.7163/PrzG.2025.2.2
Abstract
he aim of this paper is to analyse the annual and long-term variability in the occurrence of these clouds in the Silesian Upland (on the example of Katowice) as well as to indicate its causes related to atmospheric circulation. The source material comes from the IMGW-PIB. The paper uses data on mid-level cloud cover in Katowice in the years 1971-2020. Altocumulus lenticularis (Ac len) clouds, coded CM = 4, were analysed for eight time points a day (every 3 hours) during the study period. The study also used data on air masses, weather fronts, and types of atmospheric circulation based on the Calendar of atmospheric circulation types for southern Poland compiled by Niedźwiedź (2024). Most occurrences of Ac len were observed in autumn, and least in summer. The highest average number of days and number of cases of Ac len were recorded in October and November, while the lowest in April. In terms of the diurnal distribution, these clouds occurred most frequently between 6:00 and 15:00 UTC. Based on a 50-year dataset, a statistically significant decreasing trends for both number of cases and number of days were found for this type of cloud cover (-2.7 days per 10 years). The maximum number of occurrences was found in 1975, and the minimum in 2016. The highest conditional probability of occurrence of a lenticular cloud in Upper Silesia was found for advection of air masses from the south and southwest in cyclonic pressure systems (>25%) and for advection of a warm polar maritime air mass over southern Poland (20%)
Keywords: cloudiness, Altocumulus lenticularis, atmospheric circulation, Silesian Upland
[patryk.sikora@o365.us.edu.pl], University of Silesia in Katowice, Faculty of Natural Sciences
[malgorzata.falarz@us.edu.pl], University of Silesia in Katowice, Faculty of Natural Sciences
Citation
APA: Sikora, P., & Falarz, M. (2025). Long-term variability of Altocumulus lenticularis clouds in Katowice and atmospheric circulation conditions. Przegląd Geograficzny, 97(2), 149-163. https://doi.org/10.7163/PrzG.2025.2.2
MLA: Sikora, Patryk, and Falarz, Małgorzata. "Long-term variability of Altocumulus lenticularis clouds in Katowice and atmospheric circulation conditions". Przegląd Geograficzny, vol. 97, no. 2, 2025, pp. 149-163. https://doi.org/10.7163/PrzG.2025.2.2
Chicago: Sikora, Patryk, and Falarz, Małgorzata. "Long-term variability of Altocumulus lenticularis clouds in Katowice and atmospheric circulation conditions". Przegląd Geograficzny 97, no. 2 (2025): 149-163. https://doi.org/10.7163/PrzG.2025.2.2
Harvard: Sikora, P., & Falarz, M. 2025. "Long-term variability of Altocumulus lenticularis clouds in Katowice and atmospheric circulation conditions". Przegląd Geograficzny, vol. 97, no. 2, pp. 149-163. https://doi.org/10.7163/PrzG.2025.2.2