  We analyze European temperature variability from station data with the method
of detrended fluctuation analysis. This method is known to give a scaling
exponent indicating long range correlations in time for temperature anomalies.
However, by a more careful look at the fluctuation function we are able to
explain the emergent scaling behaviour by short time relaxation, the yearly
cycle and one additional process. It turns out that for many stations this
interannual variability is an oscillatory mode with a period length of
approximately 7-8 years, which is consistent with results of other methods. We
discuss the spatial patterns in all parameters and validate the finding of the
7-8 year period by comparing stations with and without this mode.

Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability