One important issue quoted in the recent IPCC report is the lack of knowledge on how and how much the frequency and intensity of atmospheric hazards will be modified with large-scale climate trends. Thus, providing the scientific basis for such knowledge, which will be of vital importance for policy makers and a wide range of stake holders through Climate Services is a strong priority.

In line with the EMS/ECAC-2014 theme, this session on Atmospheric Hazards will encourage the exchange of expertise and experiences related to the various phenomena and topics (listed below) connected to hazardous atmospheric events and their impacts. An interdisciplinary approach will be particularly welcome. Potential topics for this session among others are:

• Flash-floods and heavy rain events;
• Storm-surges and atmospheric driven marine hazards;
• Hail;
• Freezing rain, icing and intense snow falls;
• Cold/heat episodes as well as dry spells;
• Fog;
• Tornadoes, waterspouts, derechos and downbursts;
• Severe wind storms;
• Intense Mediterranean cyclones;
• Tropical like cyclones;
• Lightning;
• Local effects of polar lows;
• Severe katabatic or foehn winds;
• Gap and orographic flows;
• Breaking of gravity waves;

Contributions dealing with remote sensing aspects will be extremely welcome because of their intrinsic capability to cover broader areas and can be better tailored to stake holders interests. In addition, papers dealing with modelling, both numerical and conceptual, are particularly welcome.

Contributions dealing with studies of specific episodes (case studies) are welcome provided they are relevant and archetypical for the area, which was affected by those events. On a general level, all contributors are encouraged to reveal from their work overarching aspects that might be of interest even outside of the field where the research was carried out.

The above-listed topics are naturally not exclusive and the session’s Conveners wait to be surprised by new ideas and approaches springing out from Authors inventiveness related to high impact weather events, reduction of their risks as well as the multi-faceted connections typical of this topic.