The Mediterranean region is characterized by unique morphological characteristics, steep mountains close to the coastlines, a nearly enclosed sea and a highly varying land water distribution, which make the area prone to high-impact weather. Storm systems in the Mediterranean encompass a wide range of spatial-temporal scales and involve different physical mechanisms: baroclinic and orographic cyclones, warm core cyclones and Medicanes, heavy orographic precipitation, severe convection including squall lines and mesoscale convective systems, and wind storms. A thorough knowledge of the physical processes responsible for these atmospheric phenomena and, in particular, of the way these processes interact and combine with each other, is required in order to improve storm forecasting, thus providing better hazard prediction and timely warning to the public.
This session welcomes contributions related to both forecasting of storms and diagnosis of related physical processes, in particular:
- Modeling and theoretical studies of cyclones and severe weather phenomena affecting the Mediterranean area
- Operational forecasting issues
- Data assimilation methods
- Predictability and verification with emphasis on applications in the Mediterranean region
- Future evolution of Mediterranean storms in the context of climate change