Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Significant rainfall decreases and variations of the atmospheric circulation in the Mediterranean (1950–2000)

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Regional Environmental Change Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper aims at identifying the link between significant rainfall decreases (1950–2000) in the Mediterranean basin and the atmospheric circulation at the 500 hPa level. The months and seasons of the subregions with significant rainfall decrease during this period have been identified previously (Norrant and Douguédroit, Theor Appl Climatol 83(1–4):89–106, 2006): October in the Mediterranean Iberia, March in the Atlantic Iberia, January and winter in Greece, and winter in the Near East. Canonical Correlation Analyses based on the monthly and daily data records from 62 rainfall stations and 138 grid points at the 500 hPa level over a Euro-Atlantic window were first calculated to define the TeleConnection Patterns explaining significant regional rainfall decreases. Then, 500 hPa level weather types (ZWTs) of the rainy days with important or little rainfall associated with each Teleconnection Pattern were identified in each subregion. Rainfall-causing disturbances from the Atlantic reach Iberia directly; some of them are regenerated if they reach the Mediterranean. Other disturbances are generated locally near Greece and the Near East (Meteorological Office in Weather in the Mediterranean I: general meteorology, Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, London, 1962). The relationship between significant rainfall decreases and the corresponding 500 hPa level appears to be a nonlinear phenomenon. In all of the studied subregions, a break during the 1970s separates two subperiods differing significantly from each other. Rainfall decrease is due to the higher frequency of important rainfall ZWTs over low rainfall ZWTs, during the first period, which the opposite is true during the second period. Such an inversion could be partially linked with the prevailing North Atlantic Oscillation-positive phase during the last quarter of the twentieth century.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Altava-Ortiz V, Llasat MC, Ferrari E, Atencia A, Sirangelo B (2010) Monthly rainfall changes in the Central and Western Mediterranean Basins, at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries. Int J Climatol 30. doi:10.1002/joc.2204

  • Barnston AG, Livezey RE (1987) Classification, seasonality and persistence of low frequency atmospheric circulation patterns. Mon Weather Rev 115:1825–1850

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barry RG, Chorley RJ (2009) Atmosphere, weather and climate. Routledge, London, p 536

  • Baur F, Hess P, Nagel H (1944) Kalendar der Grosswetterlagen Europas 1881–1939. Bad Homburg (DWD)

  • Douguédroit A (2004) Quelles « exception française » en matière de « types de temps »? Norois 191:33–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dünkeloh A, Jacobeit J (2003) Circulation dynamics of the Mediterranean precipitation variability 1948–98. Int J Climatol 23:1843–1866

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gao X, Giorgi F (2008) Increased aridity in the Mediterranean region under greenhouse gas forcing estimated from high resolution simulations with a regional climate model. Glob Planet Chang 62:195–209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giorgi F, Coppola E (2009) Projections of twenty-first century climate over Europe. Eur Phys J Conf 1:29–46. doi:10.1140/epjconf/e2009-00908-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giorgi F, Lionello P (2007) Climate change projections for the Mediterranean region. Glob Planet Chang. doi:10.1016/j.gloplacha.2007.09.005

    Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez-Hidalgo JC, Lopez-Bustins JA, Stepanek P, Martin-Vide J, de Luis M (2009) Monthly precipitation trends on the Mediterranean fringe of the Iberian Peninsula during the second half of the twentieth century (195–2000). Int J Climatol 29:1415–1429

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hurrell JW, Kushnir Y, Ottersen G, Visbeck M (2003) An Overview of the North Atlantic Oscillation, in The North Atlantic Oscillation: climatic significance and environmental impact. Geophysical Monograph 134–135

  • IPCC Climate Change (2007) The scientific basis. In: Solomon S, Qin D, Manning M, Chen Z, Marquis M, Averyt KB, Tignor M, Miller HL (eds) Contribution of working group I to the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Cambridge University Press, UK

  • Jacobeit J, Dünkeloh A, Hertig E (2007) Mediterranean precipitation changes and their causes. In: Lozán J, Graßl H, Hupfer P, Menzel L, Schönwiese C-D (eds) Global Change: Enough water for all? Hamburg, 195–199

  • Kalimeris A, Founda D, Giannacopoulos C, Pierros F (2011) Long-term precipitation variability in the Ionian Islands, Greece (Central Mediterranean): climatic signal analysis and future projections. Theor Appl Climatol. doi:10.1007/s00704-011-0550-5

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalnay E, Kanamitsu M, Kistler R et al (1996) The NCEP/NCAR 40-year reanalysis project. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 77:437–472

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klein-Tank AMG, Können GP, Selten FM (2005) Signals of anthropogenic influence on European warming as seen in the trend patterns of daily temperature variance. Int J Climatol 25:1–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krichak SO, Alpert P (2005a) Decadal trends in the East Atlantic-West Russia pattern and Mediterranean precipitation. Int J Climatol 25:183–192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krichak SO, Alpert P (2005b) Signatures of the NAO in the atmospheric circulation during wet winter months over the Mediterranean region. Theor Appl Climatol 82:27–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kutiel H, Benaroch Y (2002) North Sea-Caspian pattern. NCP—an upper level atmospheric teleconnection affecting the Eastern Mediterranean: identification and definition. Theor Appl Climatol 71:17–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kutiel H, Paz S (1998) Sea level pressure departures in the Mediterranean and their relationship with monthly rainfall conditions in Israel. Theor Appl Climatol 60:93–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lana X, Burgueño A (2000) Some statistical characteristics of monthly and annual pluviometric irregularity for the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Theor Appl Climatol 65:79–97

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luterbacher J, Xoplaki E (2003) 500-year winter temperature and precipitation variability over the Mediterranean area and its connection to the large-scale atmospheric circulation. In: Bolle H-J (ed) Mediterranean climate, Variability and trends. Springer, Berlin, pp 133–153

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Maheras P (1983) Climatologie de la Mer Egée et de ses marges continentales, Atelier national de reproduction des thèses, University of Lille III, p 784

  • Maheras P, Anagnostopoulou C (2003) Circulation types and their influence on the interannual variability and precipitation changes in Greece. In: Bölle H-J (eds) Mediterranean Climate. Variability and trends. Springer, pp 215–239

  • Maheras P, Xoplaki E, Kutiel H (1999) Wet and dry anomalies across the Mediterranean basin and their relationship with circulation, 1860–1990. Theor Appl Climatol 64:189–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maheras P, Tolika K, Anagnostopoulou C, Vafiadis M, Patrikas I, Flocas H (2004) On the relationships between circulation types and changes in rainfall variability in Greece. Int J Climatol 24:1695–1712

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin ML, Luna MY, Morata A, Valero F (2004) North Atlantic teleconnection patterns of low-frequency variability and their links with springtime precipitation in the western Mediterranean. Int J Climatol 24:213–230

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin-Vide J, Lopez-Bustins JA (2006) The western Mediterranean oscillation and rainfall in the Iberian Peninsula. Int J Climatol 26:1455–1475

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Metaxas DA, Bartzokas A (1994) Pressure covariability over the Atlantic, Europe and North Africa. Application: centers of action for temperature, winter precipitation and summer winds in Athens, Greece. Theor Appl Climatol 49:9–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meteorological Office (1962) Weather in the Mediterranean I: General Meteorology. 2nd edn. Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, London, p 362

  • Michelangeli PA, Vautard R, Legras B (1995) Weather regimes: recurrence and stationarity. J Atmos Sci 52:1237–1256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Norrant C, Douguédroit A (2006) Monthly and daily precipitation trends in the Mediterranean (1950–2000). Theor Appl Climatol 83(1–4):89–106. doi:10.1007/s00704-005-0163-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Norrant-Romand C (2011) Changement climatique et précipitations en Méditerranée au 20ème siècle, Editions Universitaires Européennes, p 324

  • Quadrelli R, Pavan V, Molteni F (2001) Wintertime variability of Mediterranean precipitation and its links with large-scale circulation anomalies. Clim Dyn 17:457–466

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramos MC (2001) Rainfall distribution patterns and their change over time in a Mediterranean area. Theor Appl Climatol 69:163–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saaroni H, Halfon N, Ziv B, Alpert P, Kutiel H (2009) Links between the rainfall regime in Israel and location and intensity of Cyprus lows. Int J Climatol. doi:10.1002/joc.1912

    Google Scholar 

  • Scherrer SC, Croci-Maspoli M, Schwierz C, Appenzeller C (2006) Two-dimensional indices of atmospheric blocking and their statistical relationship with winter climate patterns in the Euro-Atlantic region. Int J Climatol 26:233–249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sneyers R (1990) On the statistical analysis of series of observation. WMO, Technical Note n° 143, Geneva

  • Trigo RM (2011) The impacts of the NAO on hydrological resources of the Western Mediterranean. In: Vicente-Serrano SM, Trogi RM (eds). Hydrological, socioeconomic and ecological impacts of the North Atlantic Oscillation in the Mediterranean region, Series: Advances in Global Change Research 46, Springer, p 236

  • Trigo IF, Davies TD, Bigg GR (2000) Decline in the Mediterranean rainfall caused by weakening of Mediterranean cyclones. Geophys Res Lett 27:2913–2916

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trigo RM et al (2006) Relations between variability in the Mediterranean region and mid-latitude variability. In: Lionello P, Malanotte-Rizzoli P, Boscolo R (eds) The Mediterranean climate: an overview of the main characteristics and issues. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 179–226

  • Trigo RM, Da Camara CC (2000) Circulation weather types and their influence on the precipitation regime in Portugal. Int J Climatol 20:1559–1581

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Türkeş M (2003) Spatial and temporal variations in precipitation and aridity index series in Turkey in Mediterranean Climate. Springer, Variability and trends. H.-J. Bölle ed., pp 181–213

    Google Scholar 

  • Türkeş M, Erlat E (2003) Precipitation changes and variability in Turkey linked to the North Atlantic Oscillation during the period 1930–2000. Int J Climatol 23:1771–1796

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van den Linden P, Mitchell JFB (eds) (2009) Ensembles. Climate change and its impacts at seasonal, decadal and centennial scales. Summary of research and results from the ENSEMBLES project. Met Office Hadley Centre. UK Fitz oy Road, Exeter EX13PB

  • Vicente-Serrano SM, Lopez-Moreno JI (2006) The influence of atmospheric circulation at different spatial scales on winter drought variability through a semi-arid climatic gradient in Northeast Spain. Int J Climatol 26:1427–1453

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Von Storch H, Zwiers FW (1999) Statistical analysis in climate research. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Xoplaki E, Luterbacher J, Burkard R, Patrikas I, Maheras P (2000) Connection between the large-scale 500 hPa geopotential height fields and precipitation over Greece during wintertime. Clim Res 14:129–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xoplaki E, Gonzalez-Rouco JF, Luterbacher J, Wanner H (2004) Wet season Mediterranean precipitation variability: influence of the large-scale dynamics and trends. Clim Dyn 23:63–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université Lille 1-Nord de France, EA 4477 TVES, 59650, Villeneuve d’Ascq, France

    Caroline Norrant-Romand

  2. Institut de Géographie, UMR 7300 ESPACE, Aix-Marseille Université, 29 av. R. Schuman., 13621, Aix-en-Provence, France

    Annick Douguédroit

Authors
  1. Caroline Norrant-Romand
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Annick Douguédroit
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Caroline Norrant-Romand.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Norrant-Romand, C., Douguédroit, A. Significant rainfall decreases and variations of the atmospheric circulation in the Mediterranean (1950–2000). Reg Environ Change 14, 1725–1741 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-013-0521-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-013-0521-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation