Variability of radiosonde-observed precipitable water in the Baltic region

• Published in: Hydrology Research Vol. 36; no. 4-5; pp. 423 - 433
• Main Authors: JAKOBSON, E, OHVRIL, H, OKULOV, O, LAULAINEN, N
• Format: Conference Proceeding Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lyngby Nordic Association for Hydrology 01-01-2005
• Subjects: ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY; CLIMATE MODELS; column water vapor; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; Exact sciences and technology; Freshwater; Hydrology; Hydrology. Hydrogeology; integrated water vapor; precipitable water; precipitable water vapor; radiosounding; SURFACE WATERS; THERMODYNAMICS; VAPOR PRESSURE; WATER; water equivalent; WATER VAPOR; Baltic region; Europe; Baltic Sea; ANE, Baltic Sea; surface water; models; Precipitable water vapour; water equivalent; atmospheric precipitation; water vapor; Europe; radiosounding; latitude; thermodynamics; pressure
• ISSN: 0029-1277; 2224-7955
• DOI: 10.2166/nh.2005.0032

The total mass of columnar water vapour (precipitable water, W) is an important parameter of atmospheric thermodynamic and radiative models. In this work more than 60 000 radiosonde observations from 17 aerological stations in the Baltic region over 14 years, 1989-2002, were used to examine the variability of precipitable water. A table of monthly and annual means of W for the stations is given. Seasonal means of W are expressed as linear functions of the geographical latitude degree. A linear formula is also derived for parametrisation of precipitable water as a function of two parameters - geographical latitude and surface water vapour pressure.