Impacts of Changes in the Hydrological Cycle on European Climate during the Summer Season

Traditionally, studies of climate variability in the Atlantic-European sector have focused on the winter season, characterized by the large anomalies in atmospheric circulation associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation. Recent climate extremes (such as the 2003 European summer heatwave and flooding across the Netherlands and the UK in 2007), as well as projected increases in their occurrence, point to the importance of understanding mechanisms driving variability of European climate during the warm season. Using observational estimates, reanalyses and climate model simulations we attempt to (i) monitor changes in aspects of hydrological cycle, (ii) quantify variability and (iii) understand processes through which the hydrological cycle impacts European climate during summer.