Annual and Daily Changes of Thunderstorms in Temperate Climate in London, Warsaw and Moscow

The aim of the study is to show and compare variation of the annual and daily course of thunderstorms in selected European cities in 2005-2009. Data on thunderstorms originate from dispatches METAR for three airport stations: London Gatwick, Warsaw Okęcie and Moscow Sheremetyevo. These cities represent the various types of climate: warm temperate marine, transitional and continental. Thunderstorms mostly occurred in Warsaw - 207 (Moscow - 174, London - 71). The maximum of thunderstorms frequency, in the yearly course, in all towns occurred in July (Warsaw - 11,8; Moscow - 13,4; London - 5,0). Thunderstorms predominantly started at 13:30 in London, 17:00 in Warsaw, 18:00 in Moscow (13:30 means period 13:01-13:30, 17:00 means period 16:31-17:00 etc.). Thunderstorms most often ended at 13:30 in London, 17:00 in Warsaw, 20:30 in Moscow. There were dominated, at all stations, brief thunderstorms, which lasted for 30 minutes. The longest thunderstorm remained 9 hours (Warsaw), 5,5 (Moscow), 4,5 (London).