Plinius Conference Abstracts
Vol. 17, Plinius17-41, 2022
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-plinius17-41
17th Plinius Conference on Mediterranean Risks
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Analysis of a subtropical cyclone in the North Atlantic Ocean by means of the HARMONIE-AROME model: evaluation against satellite data

Lara Quitián Hernández1, Carlos Calvo-Sancho1, Javier Díaz Fernández2, Pedro Bolgiani2, Daniel Santos-Muñoz3, Juan Jesús Gonzalez-Alemán4, Mariano Sastre2, Francisco Valero2,5, Jose Ignacio Farrán1, and María Luisa Martín Pérez1,5
Lara Quitián Hernández et al.
  • 1Department of Applied Mathematics. Faculty of Computer Engineering. University of Valladolid, Pza. de la Universidad, 1. 40005 Segovia. Spain.
  • 2Dpto. Astrofísica y Física de la Atmósfera. Facultad de Física. Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Ciudad Universitaria s/n. 28040 Madrid. Spain.
  • 3Danmarks Meteorologiske Institut, Copenhaguen, Denmark
  • 4State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), Leonardo Prieto Castro, 8. 28040 Madrid. Spain.
  • 5Interdisciplinary Mathematical Institute (IMI), Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.

Subtropical cyclones (STCs) are low-pressure atmospheric systems characterized by having a hybrid structure that shares tropical and extratropical features. Due to their rapid intensification and harmful impacts, sometimes similar to those generated by tropical storms or even hurricanes, the implementation of accurate simulations becomes key for improving their forecast. In this study, a particular STC developed in October 2014 near the Canary Islands is analyzed using the high-resolution HARMONIE-AROME model. This model is developed and operated at 2.5 km resolution through the collaboration of the 10 European National Meteorological Services (NMS) that are part of the international research program HIRLAM together with the 16 countries that comprise the ALADIN consortium. The HARMONIE-AROME model has a convection-permitting configuration and uses a non-hydrostatic spectral dynamical core with a semi-Lagrangian and semi-implicit discretization of the equations, which implies a lower computational cost. In order to evaluate the environment in which the cyclone was formed, several convective tools are used. In addition, the cyclone phase space diagrams (CPS) are used to thermodynamically categorize the STC as a hybrid system. Furthermore, considering the difficulty of obtaining observational data in the vicinity of this type of system, most of the time located in the middle of the ocean, the use of satellite data becomes key for the validation of the model’s simulations. Consequently, in this study, the simulated cloud top height is assessed for the October 2014 STC.

How to cite: Quitián Hernández, L., Calvo-Sancho, C., Díaz Fernández, J., Bolgiani, P., Santos-Muñoz, D., Gonzalez-Alemán, J. J., Sastre, M., Valero, F., Farrán, J. I., and Martín Pérez, M. L.: Analysis of a subtropical cyclone in the North Atlantic Ocean by means of the HARMONIE-AROME model: evaluation against satellite data, 17th Plinius Conference on Mediterranean Risks, Frascati, Rome, Italy, 18–21 Oct 2022, Plinius17-41, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-plinius17-41, 2022.