Large-scale atmospheric conditions and sea surface temperature variability associated with Mediterranean waterspouts

Waterspouts are small-scale vortices occurring over water and may be associated with severe impacts in the Mediterranean region. However, their climatological characteristics and related environmental drivers remain only partially documented at the basin scale, particularly regarding the combined influence of large-scale atmospheric conditions and observed sea surface temperature (SST) variability.

This ongoing study addresses the characterization of Mediterranean waterspouts and investigates their relationship with atmospheric variables obtained from the ERA5 reanalysis and satellite-derived SST fields. Waterspout occurrences are identified using the reports from the European Severe Weather Database, focusing on the last two decades; the analysis aims to characterize both the seasonal and environmental context associated to these events.

Reanalyses are used to characterize the atmospheric conditions associated with waterspout occurrence, including convective instability, moisture availability, vertical wind shear, and large-scale circulation patterns. In parallel, high-resolution daily Mediterranean SST datasets are employed to characterize the background oceanic conditions at the time of the events. Particular attention is given to the combined role of favorable convective environments identified in ERA5 and concurrent SST anomalies. This contribution provides a first integrated assessment of atmospheric and oceanic variability in the framework of the Mediterranean waterspout climatology, with the goal of improving the understanding of these occasionally impactful events over the Mediterranean Sea.