Proposal of a new method to select the references series: first results

Most techniques used to adjust daily climatological time series for reconstruction the missing values and for inhomogeneities require a reference series obtained from neighbouring stations. In many cases, the selection of reference series is obtained using only statistical methods and neglecting the climatological peculiarities of the meteorological station. In this study we have tried to estimate the importance of climatological features compared with the statistical methods. We have studied the maximum and minimum daily temperatures series of the Piedmont (NW Italy). We have selected the candidate series (to reconstruct or to homogenize) and the neighbouring series. For each selected station we have carried out a climate analysis and we have applied the statistical tests in the period 1998-99. The methods have allowed to assess which reference series “better represent” the candidate series.