Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Atmospheric conditions associated with heavy precipitation events in comparison to seasonal means in the western mediterranean region

  • Published:
Climate Dynamics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The autumn atmospheric conditions associated with Heavy Precipitation Events (HPEs) in the western mediterranean region and differences with respect to the seasonal-mean conditions are investigated. Seasonal high-resolution simulations from the regional climate model COSMO-CLM covering the autumn periods of 2011 and 2012 are used. Atmospheric conditions at five different subdomains surrounding the western Mediterranean are considered, namely France, Italy (North and South), Spain, and North Africa. During HPEs, moisture and instability sources are located generally upstream of the target area over the sea, being transported by fast low-level winds towards the HPE areas. Concentration of high humidity over land and initiation of convection are highly related to the orography in the area. Stronger convective precipitation events occur at mid-level elevations rather than at higher altitudes. The significant increase in atmospheric moisture and instability, identified prior to HPEs, builds up in two different time lengths: atmospheric moisture increase could be traced back to at least 6–24 h before the initiation stage of the event, whereas an increase of Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) is detected in the hours prior to the event during the mature stage. The most intense HPEs are in general associated with higher values of integrated water vapour, CAPE, and low-level and mid-tropospheric wind speed. During HPEs in all subdomains, the dominant precipitation peak occurs between 1200 and 1800 UTC suggesting that convective precipitation prevails in most HPEs. The diurnal cycle of integrated water vapour during the mature stage of HPEs shows that the atmosphere remains wetter than average for most of the period and that only a decrease is seen after the afternoon precipitation peak. Negligible CAPE characterizes mean-seasonal conditions while the classical diurnal cycle with the peak in the early afternoon and much higher mean values occur during HPE events. Despite significant differences in the precipitation distribution and characteristics of the investigated subdomains, similar mechanisms are identified in relation to HPE environments and considerable contrasts compared to the mean-seasonal conditions.

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
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Argence S, Lambert D, Richard E, Chaboureau JP, Söhne N (2008) Impact of initial conditions uncertainties on the predictability of heavy rainfall in the mediterranean: a case study. Q J R Meteorol Soc 134:1775–1788

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boehm U, Kuecken M, Ahrens W, Block A, Hauffe D, Keuler K, Rockel B, Will A (2006) CLM—the climate version of LM: brief description and long-term applications. COSMO Newsl 6:225–235

    Google Scholar 

  • Bougeault P, Binder P, Buzzi A, Dirks R, Houze R, Kuettner J, Smith RB, Steinacker R, Volkert H (2001) The MAP special observing period. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 82:433–462

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bresson R, Ricard D, Ducrocq V (2009) Idealized mesoscale numerical study of mediterranean heavy precipitating convective systems. Meteorol Atmos Phys 103:45–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brockhaus P, Lüthi D, Schär C (2008) Aspects of the diurnal cycle in a regional climate model. Meteorol Z 17(4):433–443

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Browning KA (1990) Organization of clouds and precipitation in extra-tropical cyclones. In: Newton C, Holopainen E (eds) The Erik Palmen Memorial Volume. American Meteorological Society, Boston, pp 129–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Buzzi A, Tartaglione N, Malguzzi P (1998) Numerical simulation of the 1994 Piedmont flood: role of orography and moist processes. Mon Weather Rev 126:2369–2383

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buzzi A, Davolio S, Malguzzi P, Drofa O, Mastrangelo D (2014) Heavy rainfall episodes over Liguria of autumn 2011: numerical forecasting experiments Nat. Hazard Earth Syst Sci 14:1325–1340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Couhet JB, Romero R, Homar V, Ducrocq V, Ramis C (2001) Initiation of a severe thunderstorm over the mediterranean Sea. Atmos Res 100:603–620

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delrieu G, Nicol J, Yates E, Kirstetter PE, Creutin JD, Anquetin S, Obled C, Saulnier GM, Ducrocq V, Gaume E, Payrastre O, Andrieu H, Ayral PA, Bouvier C, Neppel L, Livet M, Lang M, du-Châtelet JP, Walpersdorf A, Wobrock W (2005) The catastrophic flash-flood event of 8–9 September 2002 in the Gard region, France: a first case study for the Cévennes-Vivarais Mediterranean Hydrometeorological Observatory. J Hydrometeorol 6:34–52. doi:10.1175/JHM-400.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Didier R, Ducrocq Véronique, Auger Ludovic (2012) A climatology of the mesoscale environment associated with heavily precipitating events over a northwestern Mediterranean area. J Appl Meteorol Climatol 51:468–488. doi:10.1175/JAMC-D-11-017.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doms G, Förstner J, Heise E, Herzog HJ, Mironov D, Raschendorfer M, Reinhardt T, Ritter B, Schrodin R, Schulz JP, Vogel G (2011) A description of the non-hydrostatic regional COSMO model, Part II: Physical Parameterization. Deutscher Wetterdienst: Offenbach, Germany. http://www.cosmo-model.org

  • Doswell CA III, Brooks HE, Maddox RA (1996) Flash flood forecasting: an ingredients-based methodology. Wea Forecast 11:560–581. doi:10.1175/1520-0434(1996)011<0560:FFFAIB>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drobinski P, Ducrocq V, Alpert P, Anagnostou E, Béranger K, Borga M, Braud I, Chanzy A, Davolio S, Delrieu G, Estournel C, Filali Boubrahmi N, Font J, Grubišić V, Gualdi S, Homar V, Ivančan-Picek B, Kottmeier C, Kotroni V, Lagouvardos K, Lionello P, Llasat MC, Ludwig W, Lutoff C, Mariotti A, Richard E, Romero R, Rotunno R, Roussot O, Ruin I, Somot S, Taupier-Letage I, Tintore J, Uijlenhoet R, Wernli H (2014) HyMeX: a 10-year multidisciplinary program on the Mediterranean water cycle. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 95:1063–1082. doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-12-00242.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ducrocq V, Braud I, Davolio S, Ferretti R, Flamant C, Jansa A, Kalthoff N, Richard E, Taupier-Letage I, Ayral P-A, Belamari S, Berne A, Borga M, Boudevillain B, Bock O, Boichard J-L, Bouin M-N, Bousquet O, Bouvier C, Chiggiato J, Cimini D, Corsmeier U, Coppola L, Cocquerez P, Defer E, Delanoë J, Di Girolamo P, Doerenbecher A, Drobinski P, Dufournet Y, Fourrié N, Gourley JJ, Labatut L, Lambert D, Le Coz J, Marzano FS, Molinié G, Montani A, Nord G, Nuret M, Ramage K, Rison W, Roussot O, Said F, Schwarzenboeck A, Testor P, Van Baelen J, Vincendon B, Aran M, Tamayo J (2014) HyMeX-SOP1: the field campaign dedicated to heavy precipitation and flash flooding in the Northwestern Mediterranean. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 95:1083–1100. doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-12-00244.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duffourg F, Ducrocq V (2013) Assessment of the water supply to Mediterranean heavy precipitation: a method based on finely designed water budgets. Atmos Sci Lett 14:133–138. doi:10.1002/asl2.429

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duffourg F, Ducrocq V (2011) Origin of the moisture feeding the Heavy Precipitating Systems over Southeastern France. Nat Hazards Earth Syst Sci 11:1163–1178. doi:10.5194/nhess-11-1163-2011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferretti R, Low-Nam S, Rotunno R (2000) Numerical simulations of the Piedmont flood of 4–6 November 1994. Tellus 52A:162–180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferretti R, Panegrossi G, Rotunno R, Pichelli E, Marzano FS, Dietrich S, Picciotti E, Vulpiani G (2012) An analysis of three disastrous rain events occurred in Italy: Rome, Cinque Terre and Genoa. In: Proceedings of the 14th EGU Plinius Conference on Mediterranean Storms and MEDEX Final Conference, Palma de Mallorca (Spain)

  • Ferretti R, Pichelli E, Gentile S, Maiello I, Cimini D, Davolio S, Miglietta MM, Panegrossi G, Baldini L, Pasi F, Marzano FS, Zinzi A, Mariani S, Casaioli M, Bartolini G, Loglisci N, Montani A, Marsigli C, Manzato A, Pucillo A, Ferrario ME, Colaiuda V, Rotunno R (2014) Overview of the first HyMeX special observation period over Italy: observations and model results. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci 18:1953–1977

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fosser G, Khodayar S, Berg P (2014) Benefit of convection permitting climate model simulations in the representation of convective precipitation. Clim Dyn 44:45–60. doi:10.1007/s00382-014-2242-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fosser G, Khodayar S, Berg P (2015) Climate Change in the next 30 years: what can a convective permitting model tell us that we did not already know? Clim Dyn (accepted)

  • Grasselt R, Schuttemeyer D, Warrach-Sagi K, Ament F, Simmer C (2008) Validation of TERRA-ML with discharge measurements. Meteorol Z 17(6):763–773

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grazzini F (2007) Predictability of a large-scale flow conducive to extreme precipitation over the western Alps. Meteorol Atmos Phys 95:123–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huffman GJ, Bolvin DT, Nelkin EJ, Wolff DB, Adler RF, Gu G, Hong Y, Bowman KP, Stocker EF (2007) The TRMM multisatellite precipitation analysis (TMPA): quasi-global, multiyear, combined sensor precipitation estimates at fine scales. J Hydrometeorol 8:38–55. doi:10.1175/JHM560.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Isotta FA, Frei C, Weilguni V, Percec Tadic M, Lassegues P, Rudolf B, Pavan V, Cacciamani C, Antolini G, Ratto SM, Munari M, Micheletti S, Bonati V, Lussana C, Ronchi C, Panettieri E, Marigo G, Vertacnik G (2013) The climate of daily precipitation inthe Alps: development and analysis of a high-resolution griddataset from pan-Alpine rain-gauge data. Int J Climatol 34:1657–1675

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jansa A, Genovés A, Picornell MA, Campins J, Riosalido R, Carretero O (2001) Western Mediterranean cyclones and heavy rain. Part 2: statistical approach. Meteorol Appl 8:43–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khodayar S, Raff F, Kalthoff N (2015) Diagnostic study of a high precipitation event in the western mediterranean region: adequacy of current operational networks. Q J R Meteorol Soc. doi:10.1002/qj.2600

    Google Scholar 

  • Kummerow C, BarnesW Kozu T, Shiue J, Simpson J (1998) The tropical rainfall measuring mission (TRMM) sensor package. J Atmos Ocean Technol 15:809–817

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Llasat MC, Llasat-Botija M, Prat MA, Porcu F, Price C, Mugnai A, Lagouvardos K, Kotroni V, Katsanos D, Michaelides S, Yair Y, Savvidou K, Nicolaides K (2010) High-impact floods and flash floods in Mediterranean countries: the FLASH preliminary database. Adv Geosci 23:47–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Majewski D, Liermann D, Prohl P, Ritter B, Buchhold M, Hanisch T, Paul G, Wergen W, Baumgartner J (2002) The operational global icosahedral-hexagonal gridpoint model GME: description and high-resolution test. Mon Weather Rev 130:319–338

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martínez C, Campins J, Jansà A, Genoves A (2008) Heavy rain events in the Western Mediterranean: an atmospheric pattern classification. Adv Sci Res 2:61–64. doi:10.5194/asr-2-61-2008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martius O, Zenklusen E, Schwierz C, Davies HC (2006) Episodes of Alpine heavy precipitation with an overlying elongated stratospheric intrusion: a climatology. Int J Climatol 26:1149–1164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mellor GL, Yamada Tetsuji (1974) A hierarchy of turbulence closure models for planetary boundary layers. J Atmos Sci 31:1791–1806. doi:10.1175/1520-0469(1974)031<1791:AHOTCM>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mölg T, Chiang JCH, Gohm A, Cullen NJ (2009) Temporal precipitation variability versus altitude on a tropical high mountain: observations and mesoscale atmospheric modelling. Q J R Meteorol Soc 135:1439–1455. doi:10.1002/qj.461

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moncrieff MW, Miller MJ (1976) The dynamics and simulation of tropical cumulonimbus and squall lines. Q J R Meteorol Soc 102:373–394

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nuissier O, Ducrocq V, Ricard D, Lebeaupin C, Anquetin S (2008) A numerical study of three catastrophic precipitating events over southern France. I: numerical framework and synoptic ingredients. Q J R Meteorol Soc 134:111–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nuissier O, Joly B, Joly A, Ducrocq V (2011) A statistical downscaling to identify the large scale circulation patterns associated with Heavy Precipitation Events over southern France. Q J R Meteorol Soc 137:1812–1827

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pfahl S (2014) Characterising the relationship between weather extremes in Europe and synoptic circulation features. Nat Hazards Earth Syst Sci 14:1461–1475. doi:10.5194/nhess-14-1461-2014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pfahl S, Wernli H (2012a) Quantifying the relevance of atmospheric blocking for co-located temperature extremes in the Northern Hemisphere on (sub-)daily time scales. Geophys Res Lett 39:L12807. doi:10.1029/2012GL052261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pfahl S, Wernli H (2012b) Quantifying the relevance of cyclones for precipitation extremes. J Clim 25:6770–6780. doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00705.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramis C, Homar V, Amengual A, Romero R, Alonso S (2013) Daily precipitation records over mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands. Nat Hazards Earth Syst Sci 13:2483–2491. doi:10.5194/nhess-13-2483-2013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raveh-Rubin S, Wernli H (2015) Large-scale wind and precipitation extremes in the Mediterranean: a climatological analysis for 1979–2012. Q J R Meteorol Soc. doi:10.1002/qj.2531

    Google Scholar 

  • Rebora N, Molini L, Casella E, Comellas A, Fiori E, Pignone F, Siccardi F, Silvestro F, Tanelli S, Parodi A (2013) Extreme rainfall in the mediterranean: What can we learn from observations. J Hydrometeorol 14:906–922

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ricard D, Ducrocq V, Auger L (2012) A climatology of the mesoscale environment associated with heavily precipitating events over a Northwestern Mediterranean Area. Int J Appl Meteorol Climatol Am Meteorol Soc 51(3):468–488. doi:10.1175/JAMC-D-11-017.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ritter B, Geleyn JF (1992) A comprehensive radiation scheme for numerical weather prediction models with potential applications in climate simulations. Mon Weather Rev 120:303–325

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roe GH (2005) Orographic precipitation. Annu Rev Earth Planet Sci 33:645–671

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romero R, Sumner G, Ramis C, Genovés A (1999) A classification of the atmospheric circulation patterns producing significant daily rainfall in the Spanish Mediterranean area. Int J Climatol 19:765–785

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romero R, Doswell CA, Ramis C (2000) Mesoscale numerical study of two cases of longlived quasi-stationary convective system over eastern Spain. Mon Weather Rev 128:3731–3751

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romero R, Gaya M, Doswell CA III (2007) European climatology of severe convective storm environmental parameters: a test for significant tornado events. Atmos Res 83:389–404

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rotunno R, Ferretti R (2001) Mechanisms of intense Alpine rainfall. J Atmos Sci 58:1732–1749

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rotunno R, Houze RA (2007) Lessons on orographic precipitation from the Mesoscale Alpine Programme. Q J R Meteorol Soc 133:811–830

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rudari R, Entekhabi D, Roth G (2004) Terrain and multiple-scale interaction as factors in generating extreme precipitation events. J Hydrometeorol 5:390–404

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steppeler J, Doms G, Schattler U, Bitzer HW, Gassmann A, Damrath U, Gregoric G (2003) Meso-gamma scale forecasts using the non hydrostatic model LM. Meteorol Atmos Phys 82:75–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tiedtke M (1989) A comprehensive mass flux scheme for cumulus parameterization in large-scale models. Mon Weather Rev 117:1779–1800

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trigo IF, Bigg GR, Davies TD (2002) Climatology of cyclogenesis mechanisms in the mediterranean. Mon Weather Rev 130:549–569. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(2002)130<0549:COCMIT>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winschall A, Pfahl S, Sodemann H, Wernli H (2012) Impact of North Atlantic evaporation hot spots on southern Alpine heavy precipitation events. Q J R Meteorol Soc 138(666):1245–1258. doi:10.1002/qj.987

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work is a contribution to the HyMeX program supported by MISTRALS and ANR IODA-MED Grant ANR-11-BS56-0005. The authors thank the HyMeX data base teams (ESPRI/IPSL and SEDOO/Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées) for their help in accessing the data, as well as all SOP1 field teams who performed measurements during this time. The authors acknowledge Meteo-France and the HyMeX program for supplying the HyMeX domain rainfall amount precipitation rain gauge data, sponsored by Grants MISTRALS/HyMeX and ANR-11-BS56-0005 IODA-MED project. The TRMM data used in this study were acquired using the GES–DISC Interactive Online Visualization ANd aNalysis Infrastructure (Giovanni) as part of the NASA’s Goddard Earth Sciences (GES) Data and Information Services Centre (DISC). We thank EUCLID (EUropean Cooperation for LIghtning Detection) for providing the lightning data. Finally, the authors wish to thank the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) for providing the COSMO model code as well as initial and boundary data.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research (IMK-TRO), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Postfach 3640, 76021, Karlsruhe, Germany

    Samiro Khodayar, Norbert Kalthoff & Christoph Kottmeier

Authors
  1. Samiro Khodayar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Norbert Kalthoff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Christoph Kottmeier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Samiro Khodayar.

Additional information

This paper is a contribution to the special issue on Med-CORDEX, an international coordinated initiative dedicated to the multi-component regional climate modelling (atmosphere, ocean, land surface, river) of the mediterranean under the umbrella of HyMeX, CORDEX, and Med-CLIVAR and coordinated by Samuel Somot, Paolo Ruti, Erika Coppola, Gianmaria Sannino, Bodo Ahrens, and Gabriel Jordà.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Khodayar, S., Kalthoff, N. & Kottmeier, C. Atmospheric conditions associated with heavy precipitation events in comparison to seasonal means in the western mediterranean region. Clim Dyn 51, 951–967 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-016-3058-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-016-3058-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation