Spatial and Seasonal Variations of Air Temperature Lapse Rates in Alpine Regions

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Abstract
Air temperature decrease with altitude was estimated by simple linear regression for several regions around northern Italy for minimum, maximum, and mean monthly temperatures. The comparison of the gradients with previous works revealed the absence of a lapse rate seasonal pattern in most earlier studies. Such inconsistencies in other analyses were demonstrated to be largely due to insufficient climatic stations in each area, and incomplete temporal coverage. These problems were solved here by using 269 stations in northern Italy, 205 in the Tyrol area, and 166 in the Trentin–Upper Adige region, covering a wide range of elevations and based on at least 30-yr means. Yearly lapse rates ranging from −0.54° to −0.58°C (100 m)−1 were obtained. As hypothesized, a seasonal pattern in monthly gradient variations was observed, regardless of location, and with higher lapse rates during summer. Weather stations on valley bottoms were distinguished from those located on slopes, the former group being heavily... Abstract Air temperature decrease with altitude was estimated by simple linear regression for several regions around northern Italy for minimum, maximum, and mean monthly temperatures. The comparison of the gradients with previous works revealed the absence of a lapse rate seasonal pattern in most earlier studies. Such inconsistencies in other analyses were demonstrated to be largely due to insufficient climatic stations in each area, and incomplete temporal coverage. These problems were solved here by using 269 stations in northern Italy, 205 in the Tyrol area, and 166 in the Trentin–Upper Adige region, covering a wide range of elevations and based on at least 30-yr means. Yearly lapse rates ranging from −0.54° to −0.58°C (100 m)−1 were obtained. As hypothesized, a seasonal pattern in monthly gradient variations was observed, regardless of location, and with higher lapse rates during summer. Weather stations on valley bottoms were distinguished from those located on slopes, the former group being heavily...