Since the end of the 19th century, SMHI's weather stations around the country have measured the outside temperature every day, which provides a unique basis for monitoring how Sweden's climate has changed since greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere took off.
"Going much faster"SVT has therefore asked SMHI to calculate how much the annual average temperature at their weather stations has increased since the end of the 19th century until today. The result shows that global warming is twice as fast in Sweden compared to the planet as a whole.
- Jokkmokk and northern Sweden are part of the Arctic where warming is considerably faster than in the rest of the world, says Erik Kjellström.
The biggest changes in temperature in the north have occurred in December and March, in connection with the winters becoming shorter. Rain and melting periods are becoming more common, which affects the snow cover and in turn the heating.
- Snow and ice are good at reflecting the incoming solar radiation from space. When the white snow surface disappears, solar radiation is not reflected back as effectively, and it gets warmer, says Erik Kjellström.
"Will increase even more"Snow and ice also have an insulating effect and protect the soil and sea from the sun's rays. The less snow and ice, the more heat can be absorbed which heats the air in the atmosphere from below, which increases the heating.
Even eastern parts of Sweden have seen large temperature increases, compared with western Sweden where the temperature has risen the least. That's because continents heat faster than the ocean, ”says Erik Kjellström. In eastern Sweden, the temperature is affected by the proximity to the Baltics and Russia and the entire Eurasian continent, while western Sweden is affected by the proximity to the Atlantic, which is heated more slowly.
- The temperature will increase even more. We will see ever shorter winters, ”says Erik Kjellstörm.