SCIA: a system for a better knowledge of the Italian climate

The objectives of SCIA (Sistema nazionale per la raccolta, elaborazione e diffusione di dati Climatologici di Interesse Ambientale) are the elaboration, update and fast availability of climatological indicators derived from the meteorological time series that come from the main networks operating in Italian territory. The need for such a system derives from the fact that meteorological data are sparse among several national and regional organizations and that climate indicators need to be calculated using quality-checked data and homogenous statistical procedures. The indicators and the representation of their trend and spatial distribution, are available through a dedicated web site. It is possible to get, quickly and easily, synthetic information on the Italian climate and its tendencies, as normal values, on thirty-year reference climatological periods and yearly estimated anomalies of the main variables, like temperature and precipitation. The climate indicators available through SCIA may be useful for research and environmental institutions and for the public. As an example of the use of the indicators, an estimate of the mean temperature trend in Italy, in the last 45 years, is presented.