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Analyzing the genesis, intensity, and tracks of western Mediterranean cyclones

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Abstract

Midlatitude cyclones are analyzed on a selected region covering most of southern Europe and the western part of the Mediterranean Sea (35–50°N, 10°W–25°E). On the basis of mean sea level pressure fields of the ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecast) Reanalysis Dataset (ERA-40), detailed evaluation of Mediterranean cyclones is accomplished for the period between 1957 and 2002 on a 1° horizontal resolution grid. Cyclone centers are identified and their paths are tracked with a 6-h time step (using 00 UTC, 06 UTC, 12 UTC, and 18 UTC). Decadal, annual, and seasonal statistical analysis of cyclone tracks includes the study of the genesis, frequency, and activity of the Mediterranean cyclones as well as the variability of cyclone tracks. The results suggest that the cyclone frequency in the western Mediterranean region increased in summer and autumn, and decreased in winter and spring. A special belt-shaped area is identified, which plays a special role in cyclogenesis, and also, the cyclone tracks often remain within this belt. An overall decreasing trend is detected in winter and spring in the entire Mediterranean belt, while cyclone frequency increased in autumn. The largest positive and negative trend coefficients are identified in summer.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank ECMWF for producing and making available the ERA-40 reanalysis data. Technical assistance of I. Ihász in downloading the ERA-40 datasets is also acknowledged. Research leading to this paper has been supported by the Hungarian National Science Research Foundation under grant T-049824, the Hungarian National Research Development Program under grants NKFP-3A/082/2004 and NKFP-6/079/2005, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences under the program 2006/TKI-ACC/246, and also by the CECILIA project of the European Union Nr. 6 program. The authors appreciate the detailed comments and precise evaluations of two anonymous reviewers, which helped to improve the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Meteorology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pf. 32. H-1518, Budapest, Hungary

    Judit Bartholy & Rita Pongrácz

  2. Department of Hydraulic and Water Resources Engineering, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary

    Margit Pattantyús-Ábrahám

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  1. Judit Bartholy
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  2. Rita Pongrácz
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  3. Margit Pattantyús-Ábrahám
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Correspondence to Judit Bartholy.

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Bartholy, J., Pongrácz, R. & Pattantyús-Ábrahám, M. Analyzing the genesis, intensity, and tracks of western Mediterranean cyclones. Theor Appl Climatol 96, 133–144 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-008-0082-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-008-0082-9

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