The long sunspot cycle 23 predicts a significant temperature decrease in cycle 24

• Published in: Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics
• Main Authors: Solheim, Jan Erik, Stordahl, Kjell, Humlum, Ole
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2012
• Subjects: Norway; North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10037/25044; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2012.02.008

Relations between the length of a sunspot cycle and the average temperature in the same and the next cycle are calculated for a number of meteorological stations in Norway and in the North Atlantic region. No significant trend is found between the length of a cycle and the average temperature in the same cycle, but a significant negative trend is found between the length of a cycle and the temperature in the next cycle. This provides a tool to predict an average temperature decrease of at least 1:0 1C from solar cycle 23 to solar cycle 24 for the stations and areas analyzed. We find for the Norwegian local stations investigated that 25–56% of the temperature increase the last 150 years may be attributed to the Sun. For 3 North Atlantic stations we get 63–72% solar contribution. This points to the Atlantic currents as reinforcing a solar signal.