Long term changes in diurnal temperature range in Cyprus

Long term temperature data from two stations on the island of Cyprus have been analysed. Increasing trends of approximately 1°C/100 years in the annual mean temperatures are found at both stations. However, the minimum daily temperatures have generally increased at a larger rate than the maximum daily temperatures, resulting in a decrease in the long-term diurnal temperature range. This decrease ranges from −0.5°C/100 years to −3.5°C/100 years, depending on the location. The reduction in the diurnal temperature range is consistent with observations from other parts of the globe, and may indicate that the climate in this region of the globe is part of a larger global climate change that has been occurring over the last century. It is possible that long term changes in greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere are responsible for the long-term annual mean temperature increase. Furthermore, the changes in the diurnal temperature range can possibly be explained by increases in cloud cover and/or tropospheric aerosols. It is possible that part of these changes is caused by local land-use changes, primarily by the increasing urbanization of Cyprus.