Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Characteristics of the internal and external sources of the Mediterranean synoptic cyclones for the period 1956–2013

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Theoretical and Applied Climatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper investigates the main sources and features of the Mediterranean synoptic cyclones affecting the basin, using the cyclone tracks. The cyclones’ tracks are identified using sea level pressure (SLP) from the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data for the period 1956–2013. The identified cyclones are classified into two categories: basin affected and basin non-affected. Most of the basin-affected (non-affected) cyclones are internal (external), i.e., generated inside (outside) the Mediterranean basin. This study reveals four (five) main sources of internal (external) cyclones. These four (five) main sources generated about 63.76% (57.25%) of the internal (external) cyclones. Seasonal analysis shows that most of the basin-affected internal (external) cyclones were generated in the winter (spring) season. The lowest number of cyclones were found in the summer. Moreover, the synoptic study of the atmospheric systems accompanied the highest- and lowest-generated years demonstrates that the deepening of the north Europe cyclones and the relative positions of Azores- and Siberian-high systems represent the important factors that influence the number of internal cyclones. Essential factors influencing the external cyclones are the strength of the maximum upper wind, Azores high, Siberian high, and orientations of their ridges.

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

  • Almazroui M, Awad AM, Islam MN, Al-Khalaf AK (2015) A climatological study: wet season cyclone tracks in the East Mediterranean region. Theor Appl Climatol 120:351–365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Almazroui M, Awad AM (2016) Synoptic regimes associated with the eastern Mediterranean wet season cyclone tracks. Atmos Res 180:92–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alpert P, Ziv B (1989) The Sharav cyclone: observations and some theoretical considerations. J Geophys Res 94:18495–18514

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alpert P, Neeman BU, Shay-El Y (1990a) Climatological analysis of Mediterranean cyclones using ECMWF data. Tellus 42:65–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alpert P, Neeman BU, Shay-El Y (1990b) Intermonthly variability of cyclone tracks in the Mediterranean. J Clim 3(12):1474–1478

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alpert P, Neeman BU (1992) Cold small-scale cyclones over the eastern Mediterranean. Tellus 44:173–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bartholy J, Pongraczand R, Pattantyus-Abraham M (2006) European cyclone track analysis based on ECMWF ERA-40 data sets. Int J Climatol 26:1517–1527

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bartholy J, Pongrácz R, Margit P (2009) Analyzing the genesis, intensity and tracks of western Mediterranean cyclones. Theor Appl Climatol 96:133–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bitan A, Saaroni H (1992) The horizontal and vertical extension of the Persian Gulf pressure trough. Int J Climatol 12(7):733–747

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blier W, Ma Q (1997) A Mediterranean Sea hurricane? UCLA tropical Meteorology project newsletter, 12, 15a.8

  • Businger S, Reed RJ (1989) Cyclogenesis in cold air masses. Weather Forecast 4:133–156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buzzi A, Tibaldi S (1978) Cyclogenesis in the lee of the Alps: a case study. Q J R Meteorol Soc 104(440):271–287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buzzi A, Speranza A (1986) A theory of deep cyclogenesis in the lee of the Alps. Part 11: effects of finite topographic slope and height. J Atmos Sci 43:2826–2837

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buzzi A, D’isidoro M, Davolio S (2003) A case-study of an orographic cyclone south of the Alps during the MAP SOP. Q J R Meteorol Soc 129:1795–1818

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campins J, Genoves A, Picornell MA, Jansa A (2010) Climatology of Mediterranean cyclones using the ERA-40 dataset. Int J Climatol 31:1596–1614

    Google Scholar 

  • Egger J, Alpert P, Tafferner A, Ziv B (1995) Numerical experiments on the genesis of Sharav cyclones: idealized simulations. Tellus A 47(2):162–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flocas AA (1988) Frontal depressions over the Mediterranean Sea and central southern Europe. Me’diterrane’e 4:43–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flocas H, Maheras P, Karacostas T, Patrikas I, Anagnostopoulou C (2001) A 40-year climatological study of relative vorticity distribution over the Mediterranean. Int J Climatol 21(14):1759–1778

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flocas HA, Simmonds I, Kouroutzoglou J, Kevin K, Hatzaki M, Bricolas V, Asimakopoulos D (2010) On cyclonic tracks over the eastern Mediterranean. J Clim 23:5243–5257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flocas HA, Kountouris P, Kouroutzoglou J, Hatzaki M, Keay K, Simmonds I (2013) Vertical characteristics of cyclonic tracks over the eastern Mediterranean during the cold period of the year. Theor Appl Climatol 112:375–388

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gomis D, Buzzi A, Alonso A (1990) Diagnosis of mesoscale structures in cases of lee cyclogenesis during ALPEX. Meteorol Atmos Phys 43:49–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hannachi A, Awad A, Ammar K (2011) Climatology and classification of spring Saharan cyclone tracks. Clim Dyn 37:473–491

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • HMSO (1962) Weather in the Mediterranean I: general Meteorology. 2nd ed., Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 362 p

  • Jans’a A, Genov’es A, Picornell MA, Campins J, Riosalido R, Carretero O (2001) Western Mediterranean cyclones and heavy-rain. Part 2: Statis appr Meteorol Appl 8(1):43–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalnay E, Kanamitsu M, Kistler R, Collins W, Deaven D, Gandin L, Iridell M, Saha S, White G, Woollen J, Zhu Y, Chelliah M, Ebisuzaki W, Higgins W, Janowiak J, Mo KC, Ropolewski C, Wang J, Leetma A, Reynolds R, Jenne R, Joseph D (1996) The NCEP/NCAR 40-year reanalysis project. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 77:437–471

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kistler R, Collins W, Saha S, White G, Woollen J, Kalnay E, Chelliah M, Ebisuzaki W, Kanamitsu M, Kousky V, vanden Dool H, Jenne R, Fiorino M (2001) The NCEP/NCAR 50-year Reanalyses: monthly CD-ROM and documentation. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 82:247–267

  • Kostopoulou E, Jones PD (2007) Comprehensive analysis of the climate variability in the eastern Mediterranean. Part I: map-pattern classification. Int J Climatol 27(9):1189–1214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kouroutzoglou J, Flocas HA, Keay K, Simmonds I, Hatzaki M (2012) On the vertical structure of Mediterranean explosive cyclones. Theor Appl Climatol 110:155–176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lionello P, Malanbotte-Rizzoli P, Boscolo R (Eds.) (2006) Mediterranean Climate Variability. Developments in Earth and Environmental Sciences 4, Elsevier, pp. 325–372

  • Maheras P, Flocas HA, Patrikas I, Anagnostopoulou C (2001) A 40 year objective climatology of surface cyclones in the Mediterranean region: spatial and temporal distribution. Int J Climatol 21:109–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morris RM (1973) The origin structure and movement of the Saharan depressions. In brief notes on synoptic Meteorology in the Mediterranean region. Meteorological Office College, Shinfield Park, Reading, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Neu U, Akperov MG, Bellenbaum N et al (2013) IMILAST: a community effort to intercompare extratropical cyclone detection and tracking algorithms. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 94:529–547

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petterssen S (1956) Weather analysis and forecasting, vol Vol I. McGraw-Hill, New York, p 428

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinto JG, Spangeh T, Ulbrich U, Speth P (2005) Sensitivities of a cyclone detection and tracking algorithm: individual tracks and climatology. Meteorol Z 14:823–838

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prezerakos NG (1985) The north-west African depressions affecting the southern Balkans. J Climatol 5:643–654

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prezerakos NG, Michaelides SC, Vlassi AS (1990) Atmospheric synoptic conditions associated with the initiation of north-west African depressions. Int J Climatol 10:711–729

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pytharoulis I, Craig GC, Ballard SP (1999) Study of the hurricane-like Mediterranean cyclone of January 1995. Phys Chem Earth 24B:627–632

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen E, Zick C (1987) A subsynoptic vortex over the Mediterranean with some resemblance to polar lows. Tellus 39A:408–425

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reale O, Atlas R (2001) Tropical cyclone-like vortices in the Extratropics: observational evidence and synoptic analysis. Weather Forecast 16:7–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raible CC, Ziv B, Saaroni H, Wild M (2010) Winter synoptic scale variability over the Mediterranean Basin under future climate conditions as simulated by the ECHAM5. Clim Dyn 35:473–488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romem M, Ziv B, Saaroni H (2007) Scenarios in the development of Mediterranean cyclones. Adv Geosci 12:59–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romero R, Sumner G, Ramis C, Genov’es A (1999) A classification of the atmospheric circulation patterns producing significant daily rainfall in the Spanish Mediterranean area. I J Climatol 19(7):765–785

  • Speranza A, Buzzi A, Trevisan A, Malguzzi P (1985) A theory of deep cyclogenesis in the lee of the Alps. Part I: modifications of baroclinic instability by localized topography. J Atmos Sci 42(14):1521–1535

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thorncroft C, Flocas H (1997) A case study of Saharan cyclogenesis. Mon Weather Rev 125(6):1147–1165

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trigo IF, Davies TD, Bigg GR (1999) Objective climatology of cyclones in the Mediterranean region. J Clim 12(6):1685–1696

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trigo IF, Bigg GR, Davies TD (2002) Climatology of cyclogenesis mechanisms in the Mediterranean. Mon Weather Rev 130:549–569

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ulbrich U, Leckebusch GC, Pinto JG (2009) Extratropical cyclones in the present and future climate: a review. Theor Appl Climatol 96:117–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Walsh JE, Zhang J, Bhatt US, Ikeda M (2004) Climatology and interannual variability of Arctic cyclone activity: 1948–2002. J Clim 17:2300–2317

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ziv B, Saaroni H, Alpert P (2004) The factors governing the summer regime of the eastern Mediterranean. Int J Climatol 24:1859–1871

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ziv B, Kushnir Y, Nakamura J, Naik NH, Harpaz T (2013) Coupled climate model simulations of Mediterranean winter cyclones and large-scale flow patterns. Nat Hazard Earth Syst Sci 13:779–793

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ziv B, Harpaz T, Saaroni H, Blender R (2015) A new methodology for identifying daughter cyclogenesis: application for the Mediterranean Basin. Int J Climatol 35:3847–3861

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the King Abdulaziz University for providing the facilities and logistical needs for this study. Computation for the work described in this paper was performed using the Aziz Supercomputer at King Abdulaziz University’s High Performance Computing Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Excellence for Climate Change Research/Department of Meteorology, King Abdulaziz University, PO Box 80234, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia

    Mansour Almazroui, Adel M. Awad & M. Nazrul Islam

Authors
  1. Mansour Almazroui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Adel M. Awad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Nazrul Islam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mansour Almazroui.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Almazroui, M., Awad, A.M. & Nazrul Islam, M. Characteristics of the internal and external sources of the Mediterranean synoptic cyclones for the period 1956–2013. Theor Appl Climatol 133, 811–827 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-017-2218-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-017-2218-2

Search

Navigation