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What causes a heavy precipitation period to become extreme? The exceptional October of 2018 in the Western Mediterranean

Khodayar, Samira ; Pastor, Francisco; Valiente, Jose Antonio; Benetó, Pau; Ehmele, Florian 1
1 Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung Troposphärenforschung (IMKTRO), Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)

Abstract:

The Mediterranean region is particularly exposed to heavy precipitation and flash flooding. Every autumn the region is affected by these weather-related hazards, frequently with immense costly and deadly consequences. What makes an already potentially damaging period in terms of heavy precipitation, even more intense? This is the underlying question in this study, in which the atmosphere and the ocean conditions in October 2018 are examined to identify anomalies favoring this intensification. Furthermore, the model representativity of the over-averaged precipitation period and underlying anomalies is analyzed across scales using climatological, seasonal, and event-based COSMO high-resolution model simulations.

Our investigation shows that October-2018, in the context of the climatological series from 1982 to 2018, could be marked as an unprecedented period because of the presence of intense and numerous low-pressure systems. Additionally, atmospheric moisture values placed this time above the climatological average, mainly for the high percentiles of the TCWV hourly anomalies. Specific humidity showed similar behaviour as TCWV except for pressure levels lower than 700 hPa, probably in relation to the evolution of the former Hurricane Leslie. ... mehr


Verlagsausgabe §
DOI: 10.5445/IR/1000150606
Veröffentlicht am 13.09.2022
Originalveröffentlichung
DOI: 10.1016/j.wace.2022.100493
Scopus
Zitationen: 7
Dimensions
Zitationen: 8
Cover der Publikation
Zugehörige Institution(en) am KIT Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung Troposphärenforschung (IMKTRO)
Publikationstyp Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Publikationsmonat/-jahr 12.2022
Sprache Englisch
Identifikator ISSN: 2212-0947
KITopen-ID: 1000150606
HGF-Programm 12.11.33 (POF IV, LK 01) Regional Climate and Hydrological Cycle
Erschienen in Weather and Climate Extremes
Verlag Elsevier
Band 38
Seiten Art.-Nr.: 100493
Schlagwörter Extreme weather; Heavy precipitation; Mediterranean; Large-scale conditions; SST; High-resolution modelling
Nachgewiesen in Scopus
Dimensions
Globale Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung Ziel 11 – Nachhaltige Städte und Gemeinden
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