The impact of storm Minerva on the upper layer of the Mediterranean Sea

In May 2023, a low-pressure system named Minerva by the Italian weather service Meteo Aeronautica Militare brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to Italy and neighbouring countries, resulting in widespread damage and tragic loss of life. 

During this event, autonomous instruments, along with satellite and modelling products, monitored the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Sicily Channel, the Ionian Sea and the south Adriatic Sea. In this work, we have combined these data to investigate the physical and biogeochemical responses of the upper layer of the Mediterranean Sea to Storm Minerva. 

The upper ocean feedback typically consists of the sea surface cooling and subsurface warming (“heat pump” effect), driven by a combination of different physical processes. This effect can be more or less pronounced and can have different characteristics depending on the oceanic conditions encountered by the storm on its path. 

Our findings reveal that Minerva triggered three different responses in the subbasins studied, which were influenced by the circulation structures and thermohaline conditions in the affected areas. This result underscores the importance of understanding the regional oceanographic characteristics when assessing the impacts of extreme weather events and how this information contributes to improved forecasting and mitigation strategies for future events.