Impacts of anthropogenic heat on regional climate patterns

Four different simulations of a winter period in Central Europe are carried out to investigate the principle effect of anthropogenic heat release from the highly industrialized and populated Ruhrarea region (Germany) on regional climate conditions. The results reveal a permanent warming due to anthropogenic heat emissions over affected areas ranging from 0.15 K over land area with an additional 2 W m^-2 anthropogenic heat flux up to 0.5 K over the Ruhrarea with additional 20 W m^-2 anthropogenic heat flux. The temperature effects induced by anthropogenic heat not only depend on the amount of added heat but also on orographical factors. No significant variations are found for precipitation.