Central Europe, 1500–2007 AD, Documentary evidence, PAGES Euro-Med 2k Version Dobrovolný, P.; Moberg, A.; Brázdil, R.; Pfister, C.; Glaser, R.; Wilson, R.J.S.; van Engelen, A.; Limanówka, D.; Kiss, A.; Halícková, M.; Macková, J.; Riemann, D.; Luterbacher, J.; Böhm, R. Dobrovolný, P. Moberg, A. Brázdil, R. Pfister, C. Glaser, R. Wilson, R.J.S. van Engelen, A. Limanówka, D. Kiss, A. Halícková, M. Macková, J. Riemann, D. Luterbacher, J. Böhm, R. PAGES 2k Network PAGES Euro-Med 2k earth science/paleoclimate/climate reconstructions|historical (temperature,null,null,degree Celsius,Jun-Aug,climate reconstructions|historical,anomalized,null,N,anomalized from 1961-1990) earth science/paleoclimate/climate reconstructions|historical (age,null,null,year Common Era,null,climate reconstructions|historical,null,null,N,null) earth science/paleoclimate/historical (Central Europe,>LATITUDE >LONGITUDE ) Monthly temperature series for Central Europe back to AD 1500 are developed from documentary index series from Germany, Switzerland and the Czech Republic (1500–1854) and 11 instrumental temperature records (1760–2007). Documentary evidence from the Low Countries, the Carpathian Basin and Poland are used for cross-checking for earlier centuries. The instrumental station records are corrected for inhomogeneities, including insufficient radiation protection of early thermometers and the urban heat island effect. For overlapping period (1760-1854), the documentary data series correlate with instrumental temperatures, most strongly in winter (86% explained variance in January) and least in autumn (56% in September). For annual average temperatures, 81% of the variance is explained. Verification statistics indicate high reconstruction skill for most months and seasons. The last 20 years (since 1988) stand out as very likely the warmest 20-year period, accounting for the calibration uncertainty and decreases in proxy data quality before the calibration period. The new reconstruction displays a previously unobserved long-term decrease in DJF, MAM and JJA temperature variability over last five centuries. Compiled monthly, seasonal and annual series can be used to improve the robustness of gridded large-scale European temperature reconstructions and possible impact studies. Further improvement of the reconstruction would be achieved if documentary data from other European countries are further developed. STUDY NOTES: In this study, we utilize temperature index series that were constructed exclusively from descriptive documentary evidence and have therefore not been ‘biased’ with indices constructed from non-systematic early instrumental measurements or from other proxies. Furthermore we prefer to use monthly indices that were constructed year by year using the seven-degree scale. Temperature index series for the following countries and periods were used: DE (1500-1760), CZ (1500-1854), CH (1501-1816), PL (1501-1700) and CB (1516-1870). The LC index data, because of their different definition, are not considered in this section but are used in Section 6 for cross-comparison. NCDC-Paleoclimatology https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/data-access/paleoclimatology-data - Bauer Bruce Investigator : Dobrovolný, P. Investigator : Moberg, A. Investigator : Brázdil, R. Investigator : Pfister, C. Investigator : Glaser, R. Investigator : Wilson, R.J.S. Investigator : van Engelen, A. Investigator : Limanówka, D. Investigator : Kiss, A. Investigator : Halícková, M. Investigator : Macková, J. Investigator : Riemann, D. Investigator : Luterbacher, J. Investigator : Böhm, R. 2013-05-15 ONLINE Files online, ASCII https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/study/1003404 https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/reconstructions/pages2k/euro-med2k/Dobrovolny_et_al_CC_2010.txt https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/study/9970 https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/reconstructions/pages2k/euro-med2k/Dobrovolny_et_al_CC_2010.txt https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/study/9970 English https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/study/1003404 https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/reconstructions/pages2k/euro-med2k/Dobrovolny_et_al_CC_2010.txt https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/study/9970 Dobrovolný, P., A. Moberg, R. Brázdil, C. Pfister, R. Glaser, R. Wilson, A. van Engelen, D. Limanówka, A. Kiss, M. Halícková, J. Macková, D. Riemann, J. Luterbacher, and R. Böhm. 2010. Monthly, seasonal and annual temperature reconstructions for Central Europe derived from documentary evidence and instrumental records since AD 1500. Climatic Change, 101, 1-2, 69-107. DOI 10.1007/s10584-009-9724-x START YEAR: 1500 AD * END YEAR: 2007 AD 6 45 20 53