Clim. Past, 16, 627–661, 2020 https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-16-627-2020 © Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Droughts in the area of Poland in recent centuries in the light of multi-proxy data Rajmund Przybylak1,6, Piotr Olinski´ 2,6, Marcin Koprowski3,6, Janusz Filipiak4, Aleksandra Pospieszynska´ 1,6, Waldemar Chor ˛azyczewski˙ 2,6, Radosław Puchałka3,6, and Henryk Paweł D ˛abrowski5 1Department of Meteorology and Climatology, Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun,´ Poland 2Department of Medieval History, Institute of History and Archival Sciences, Faculty of History, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun,´ Poland 3Department of Ecology and Biogeography, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun,´ Poland 4Department of Meteorology and Climatology, Institute of Geography, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdansk,´ Gdansk,´ Poland 5Dendroarchaeological Laboratory, Archaeological Museum in Biskupin, Biskupin, Poland 6Centre for Climate Change Research, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun,´ Poland Correspondence: Rajmund Przybylak (
[email protected]) Received: 27 May 2019 – Discussion started: 11 June 2019 Revised: 30 January 2020 – Accepted: 31 January 2020 – Published: 1 April 2020 Abstract. The history of drought occurrence in Poland criteria used were those proposed by McKee et al. (1993) and in the last millennium is poorly known. To improve this modified for the climate conditions of Poland by Łab˛edzki knowledge we have conducted a comprehensive analysis us- (2007). ing both proxy data (documentary and dendrochronological) More than 100 droughts were found in documen- and instrumental measurements of precipitation. The paper tary sources in the period 1451–1800, including 17 presents the main features of droughts in Poland in recent megadroughts.