Temporal changes in soil temperature at Wolverhampton, UK and Hohe Warte, Vienna, Austria 1976-2010

Soil temperatures from 1976 to 2010 are reported from two sites: Compton (UK) and Hohe Warte (Austria). Soil temperature at Compton significantly increased over the period 1976–2010; increases ranged between +0.04 degC and +0.08 degC year–1, depending on depth. Temperature increases were greater in winter. Mean annual temperature at Hohe Warte increased by around 0.03 degC year−1 from 1976 to 2010. Significant temperature increases were recorded at Hohe Warte in summer, but not in winter. These differences were attributed to greater snow cover at Hohe Warte insulating the soil in winter, and to the drier summers at Hohe Warte enabling more rapid soil warming.