On the role of air-sea-wave interaction in developing destructive Tropical-Like Cyclones DANIEL

 

Between Sept. 4, 2023, and Sept. 12, 2023, a cyclogenesis develops close to the Greek coast in the Ionian Sea. The evolution of this cyclone is divided into two phases: a strongly baroclinic one with intense orographic precipitation in Greece, and a final barotropic phase with the formation of an intense tropical-like cyclone (TLC) impacting Libya. In this work, we investigate this TLC (named “Daniel”) initially using the standalone WRF model with different sea surface temperature sources,  untile the use of the coupled atmosphere-ocean models. Preliminary results show that SST plays a crucial role in the intensification and tropicalization of the cyclone, with a strong impact not only along the cyclone track but especially in the neighboring areas, where high values of heat transport a precipitable water are found. We also observe how the use of a coupled model as a digital twin, shows strengths in the quality of the simulation and the physics of the process, but highlights some critical issues in the configuration of the marine model, which at small technical variations produces intense changes in the structure of the ocean and atmosphere.