Articles | Volume 3, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-1021-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-1021-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
05 Sep 2022
Research article |
| 05 Sep 2022
| 05 Sep 2022
Supercell convective environments in Spain based on ERA5: hail and non-hail differences
Carlos Calvo-Sancho
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Applied Mathematics, Faculty of Computer Engineering,
University of Valladolid, Segovia, Spain
Javier Díaz-Fernández
Department of Earth Physics and Astrophysics, Faculty of Physics,
Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Yago Martín
Department of Geography, Faculty of History and Philosophy, University Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
Pedro Bolgiani
Department of Earth Physics and Astrophysics, Faculty of Physics,
Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Mariano Sastre
Department of Earth Physics and Astrophysics, Faculty of Physics,
Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Juan Jesús González-Alemán
State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), Madrid, Spain
Daniel Santos-Muñoz
Department of Research and Development, Danmarks Meteorologiske Institut, Copenhaguen, Denmark
José Ignacio Farrán
Department of Applied Mathematics, Faculty of Computer Engineering,
University of Valladolid, Segovia, Spain
María Luisa Martín
Department of Applied Mathematics, Faculty of Computer Engineering,
University of Valladolid, Segovia, Spain
Institute of Interdisciplinary Mathematics (IMI), Complutense
University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Related authors
Florian Pantillon, Silvio Davolio, Elenio Avolio, Carlos Calvo-Sancho, Diego Saul Carrió, Stavros Dafis, Emanuele Silvio Gentile, Juan Jesus Gonzalez-Aleman, Suzanne Gray, Mario Marcello Miglietta, Platon Patlakas, Ioannis Pytharoulis, Didier Ricard, Antonio Ricchi, Claudio Sanchez, and Emmanouil Flaounas
Weather Clim. Dynam., 5, 1187–1205, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-1187-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-1187-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Cyclone Ianos of September 2020 was a high-impact but poorly predicted medicane (Mediterranean hurricane). A community effort of numerical modelling provides robust results to improve prediction. It is found that the representation of local thunderstorms controlled the interaction of Ianos with a jet stream at larger scales and its subsequent evolution. The results help us understand the peculiar dynamics of medicanes and provide guidance for the next generation of weather and climate models.
Kerry Emanuel, Tommaso Alberti, Stella Bourdin, Suzana J. Camargo, Davide Faranda, Manos Flaounas, Juan Jesus Gonzalez-Aleman, Chia-Ying Lee, Mario Marcello Miglietta, Claudia Pasquero, Alice Portal, Hamish Ramsay, and Romualdo Romero
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3387, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3387, 2024
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Weather and Climate Dynamics (WCD).
Short summary
Short summary
Storms strongly resembling hurricanes are sometime observed to form well outside the tropics, even in polar latitudes. They behave capriciously, developing very rapidly and then dying just as quickly. We show that strong dynamical processes in the atmosphere can sometimes cause it to become locally much colder than the underlying ocean, creating the conditions for hurricanes to form, but only over small areas and for short times. We call the resulting storms "cyclops".
Florian Pantillon, Silvio Davolio, Elenio Avolio, Carlos Calvo-Sancho, Diego Saul Carrió, Stavros Dafis, Emanuele Silvio Gentile, Juan Jesus Gonzalez-Aleman, Suzanne Gray, Mario Marcello Miglietta, Platon Patlakas, Ioannis Pytharoulis, Didier Ricard, Antonio Ricchi, Claudio Sanchez, and Emmanouil Flaounas
Weather Clim. Dynam., 5, 1187–1205, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-1187-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-1187-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Cyclone Ianos of September 2020 was a high-impact but poorly predicted medicane (Mediterranean hurricane). A community effort of numerical modelling provides robust results to improve prediction. It is found that the representation of local thunderstorms controlled the interaction of Ianos with a jet stream at larger scales and its subsequent evolution. The results help us understand the peculiar dynamics of medicanes and provide guidance for the next generation of weather and climate models.
Emilio Cuevas-Agulló, David Barriopedro, Rosa Delia García, Silvia Alonso-Pérez, Juan Jesús González-Alemán, Ernest Werner, David Suárez, Juan José Bustos, Gerardo García-Castrillo, Omaira García, África Barreto, and Sara Basart
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4083–4104, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4083-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4083-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
During February–March (FM) 2020–2022, unusually intense dust storms from northern Africa hit the western Euro-Mediterranean (WEM). Using dust products from satellites and atmospheric reanalysis for 2003–2022, results show that cut-off lows and European blocking are key drivers of FM dust intrusions over the WEM. A higher frequency of cut-off lows associated with subtropical ridges is observed in the late 2020–2022 period.
Christian Ferrarin, Florian Pantillon, Silvio Davolio, Marco Bajo, Mario Marcello Miglietta, Elenio Avolio, Diego S. Carrió, Ioannis Pytharoulis, Claudio Sanchez, Platon Patlakas, Juan Jesús González-Alemán, and Emmanouil Flaounas
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 2273–2287, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-2273-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-2273-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The combined use of meteorological and ocean models enabled the analysis of extreme sea conditions driven by Medicane Ianos, which hit the western coast of Greece on 18 September 2020, flooding and damaging the coast. The large spread associated with the ensemble highlighted the high model uncertainty in simulating such an extreme weather event. The different simulations have been used for outlining hazard scenarios that represent a fundamental component of the coastal risk assessment.
Shunya Koseki, Priscilla A. Mooney, William Cabos, Miguel Ángel Gaertner, Alba de la Vara, and Juan Jesus González-Alemán
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 53–71, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-21-53-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-21-53-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This study investigated one case of a tropical-like cyclone over the Mediterranean Sea under present and future climate conditions with a regional climate model. A pseudo global warming (PGW) technique is employed to simulate the cyclone under future climate, and our simulation showed that the cyclone is moderately strengthened by warmer climate. Other PGW simulations where only ocean and atmosphere are warmed reveal the interesting results that both have counteracting effects on the cyclone.
Martin Dörenkämper, Bjarke T. Olsen, Björn Witha, Andrea N. Hahmann, Neil N. Davis, Jordi Barcons, Yasemin Ezber, Elena García-Bustamante, J. Fidel González-Rouco, Jorge Navarro, Mariano Sastre-Marugán, Tija Sīle, Wilke Trei, Mark Žagar, Jake Badger, Julia Gottschall, Javier Sanz Rodrigo, and Jakob Mann
Geosci. Model Dev., 13, 5079–5102, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-5079-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-5079-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This is the second of two papers that document the creation of the New European Wind Atlas (NEWA). The paper includes a detailed description of the technical and practical aspects that went into running the mesoscale simulations and the microscale downscaling for generating the climatology. A comprehensive evaluation of each component of the NEWA model chain is presented using observations from a large set of tall masts located all over Europe.
Nikolaos Schetakis, Rodrigo Crespo, José Luis Vázquez-Poletti, Mariano Sastre, Luis Vázquez, and Alessio Di Iorio
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 9, 407–415, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-9-407-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-9-407-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper, we present a compilation of the different radiation transport codes for the Martian surface that are currently used by various space agencies and institutions. In addition, as the execution of the tasks necessary to process all of these radiation data requires a high computational processing capacity, we link it to cloud computing, which is found to be an appropriate tool regarding the required resources.
Raphael Portmann, Juan Jesús González-Alemán, Michael Sprenger, and Heini Wernli
Weather Clim. Dynam., 1, 597–615, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-1-597-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-1-597-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
In September 2018 an intense Mediterranean cyclone with structural similarities to a hurricane, a so-called medicane, caused severe damage in Greece. Its development was uncertain, even just a few days in advance. The reason for this was uncertainties in the jet stream over the North Atlantic 3 d prior to cyclogenesis that propagated into the Mediterranean. They led to an uncertain position of the upper-level disturbance and, as a result, of the position and thermal structure of the cyclone.
Jon Ander Arrillaga, Carlos Yagüe, Carlos Román-Cascón, Mariano Sastre, Maria Antonia Jiménez, Gregorio Maqueda, and Jordi Vilà-Guerau de Arellano
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 4615–4635, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-4615-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-4615-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Thermally driven downslope winds develop in mountainous areas under a weak large-scale forcing and clear skies. In this work, we find that their onset time and intensity are closely connected with both the large-scale wind and soil moisture. We also show how the distinct downslope intensities shape the turbulent and thermal features of the nocturnal atmosphere. The analysis concludes that the downslope–turbulence interaction and the horizontal transport explain the important CO2 variability.
C. Román-Cascón, C. Yagüe, L. Mahrt, M. Sastre, G.-J. Steeneveld, E. Pardyjak, A. van de Boer, and O. Hartogensis
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 9031–9047, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-9031-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-9031-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Stable-boundary-layer processes have been analysed using BLLAST data. Shallow drainage flows were formed at some locations after the near calm stage of the late afternoon. This stage ended with the arrival of a deeper wind associated with the mountain-plain circulation. At the same time, gravity waves were detected with an array of microbarometers. The interaction of these processes with turbulence was studied through multi-resolution flux decomposition at different sites and heights.
M. Lothon, F. Lohou, D. Pino, F. Couvreux, E. R. Pardyjak, J. Reuder, J. Vilà-Guerau de Arellano, P Durand, O. Hartogensis, D. Legain, P. Augustin, B. Gioli, D. H. Lenschow, I. Faloona, C. Yagüe, D. C. Alexander, W. M. Angevine, E Bargain, J. Barrié, E. Bazile, Y. Bezombes, E. Blay-Carreras, A. van de Boer, J. L. Boichard, A. Bourdon, A. Butet, B. Campistron, O. de Coster, J. Cuxart, A. Dabas, C. Darbieu, K. Deboudt, H. Delbarre, S. Derrien, P. Flament, M. Fourmentin, A. Garai, F. Gibert, A. Graf, J. Groebner, F. Guichard, M. A. Jiménez, M. Jonassen, A. van den Kroonenberg, V. Magliulo, S. Martin, D. Martinez, L. Mastrorillo, A. F. Moene, F. Molinos, E. Moulin, H. P. Pietersen, B. Piguet, E. Pique, C. Román-Cascón, C. Rufin-Soler, F. Saïd, M. Sastre-Marugán, Y. Seity, G. J. Steeneveld, P. Toscano, O. Traullé, D. Tzanos, S. Wacker, N. Wildmann, and A. Zaldei
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 10931–10960, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-10931-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-10931-2014, 2014
Related subject area
Other aspects of weather and climate dynamics
ClimaMeter: contextualizing extreme weather in a changing climate
Large-ensemble assessment of the Arctic stratospheric polar vortex morphology and disruptions
Elevation-dependent warming: observations, models, and energetic mechanisms
Meeting summary: Exploring cloud dynamics with Cloud Model 1 and 3D visualization – insights from a university modeling workshop
Waviness of the Southern Hemisphere wintertime polar and subtropical jets
The importance of regional sea-ice variability for the coastal climate and near-surface temperature gradients in Northeast Greenland
Decadal variability and trends in extratropical Rossby wave packet amplitude, phase, and phase speed
Stratospheric intrusion depth and its effect on surface cyclogenetic forcing: an idealized potential vorticity (PV) inversion experiment
Trends in the tropospheric general circulation from 1979 to 2022
A characterisation of Alpine mesocyclone occurrence
Intraseasonal variability of ocean surface wind waves in the western South Atlantic: the role of cyclones and the Pacific South American pattern
A dynamical adjustment perspective on extreme event attribution
The signature of the tropospheric gravity wave background in observed mesoscale motion
Increasing frequency in off-season tropical cyclones and its relation to climate variability and change
Davide Faranda, Gabriele Messori, Erika Coppola, Tommaso Alberti, Mathieu Vrac, Flavio Pons, Pascal Yiou, Marion Saint Lu, Andreia N. S. Hisi, Patrick Brockmann, Stavros Dafis, Gianmarco Mengaldo, and Robert Vautard
Weather Clim. Dynam., 5, 959–983, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-959-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-959-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We introduce ClimaMeter, a tool offering real-time insights into extreme-weather events. Our tool unveils how climate change and natural variability affect these events, affecting communities worldwide. Our research equips policymakers and the public with essential knowledge, fostering informed decisions and enhancing climate resilience. We analysed two distinct events, showcasing ClimaMeter's global relevance.
Ales Kuchar, Maurice Öhlert, Roland Eichinger, and Christoph Jacobi
Weather Clim. Dynam., 5, 895–912, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-895-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-895-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Exploring the polar vortex's impact on climate, the study evaluates model simulations against the ERA5 reanalysis data. Revelations about model discrepancies in simulating disruptive stratospheric warmings and vortex behavior highlight the need for refined model simulations of past climate. By enhancing our understanding of these dynamics, the research contributes to more reliable climate projections of the polar vortex with the impact on surface climate.
Michael P. Byrne, William R. Boos, and Shineng Hu
Weather Clim. Dynam., 5, 763–777, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-763-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-763-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In this study we investigate why climate change is amplified in mountain regions, a phenomenon known as elevation-dependent warming (EDW). We examine EDW using observations and models and assess the roles of radiative forcing vs. internal variability in driving the historical signal. Using a forcing–feedback framework we also quantify for the first time the processes driving EDW on large scales. Our results have important implications for understanding future climate change in mountain regions.
Lisa Schielicke, Yidan Li, Jerome Schyns, Aaron Sperschneider, Jose Pablo Solano Marchini, and Christoph Peter Gatzen
Weather Clim. Dynam., 5, 703–710, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-703-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-703-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We present course contents and results of a 2-week educational block course with a focus on Cloud Model 1 (CM1) and 3D visualization. Through hands-on experience, students gained skills in setting up and customizing the model and visualizing its output in 3D. The research aimed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and practical applications, fostering a deeper understanding of convective processes and preparing students for future careers in the field.
Jonathan E. Martin and Taylor Norton
Weather Clim. Dynam., 4, 875–886, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-4-875-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-4-875-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The polar and subtropical jets are important weather-producing features and influential governors of regional climate. This study considers trends in the waviness of the two jets in Southern Hemisphere winter using three data sets and reveals three important results: (1) the waviness of both jets has increased since about 1960, (2) only the maximum speed of the subtropical jet has increased, and (3) both the polar and subtropical jets have been shifting poleward over the last several decades.
Sonika Shahi, Jakob Abermann, Tiago Silva, Kirsty Langley, Signe Hillerup Larsen, Mikhail Mastepanov, and Wolfgang Schöner
Weather Clim. Dynam., 4, 747–771, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-4-747-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-4-747-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study highlights how the sea ice variability in the Greenland Sea affects the terrestrial climate and the surface mass changes of peripheral glaciers of the Zackenberg region (ZR), Northeast Greenland, combining model output and observations. Our results show that the temporal evolution of sea ice influences the climate anomaly magnitude in the ZR. We also found that the changing temperature and precipitation patterns due to sea ice variability can affect the surface mass of the ice cap.
Georgios Fragkoulidis
Weather Clim. Dynam., 3, 1381–1398, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-1381-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-1381-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Assessing the seasonal distributions of local Rossby wave packet (RWP) amplitude, phase, and phase speed on reanalysis data of the 1979–2019 period reveals that patterns of robust trends emerge and vary substantially between seasons and regions. While an absence of covariance is evident between RWP amplitude and phase speed at decadal scales, the frequency of DJF large-amplitude quasi-stationary RWPs increases in several areas of the N Pacific and N America during 1999–2019.
Michael A. Barnes, Thando Ndarana, Michael Sprenger, and Willem A. Landman
Weather Clim. Dynam., 3, 1291–1309, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-1291-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-1291-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Stratospheric air can intrude into the troposphere and is associated with cyclonic development throughout the atmosphere. Through a highly idealized systematic approach, the effect that different intrusion characteristics have on surface cyclogenetic forcing is investigated. The proximity of stratospheric intrusions to the surface is shown to be the main factor in surface cyclogenetic forcing, whilst its width is an additional contributing factor.
Adrian J. Simmons
Weather Clim. Dynam., 3, 777–809, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-777-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-777-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This study of changes in temperature and wind since 1979 met its twin aims of (i) increasing confidence in some findings of the latest IPCC assessment and (ii) identifying changes that had received little or no previous attention. It reports a small overall intensification and shift in position of the North Atlantic jet stream and associated storms, and a strengthening of tropical upper-level easterlies. Increases in low-level winds over tropical and southern hemispheric oceans are confirmed.
Monika Feldmann, Urs Germann, Marco Gabella, and Alexis Berne
Weather Clim. Dynam., 2, 1225–1244, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-1225-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-1225-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Mesocyclones are the rotating updraught of supercell thunderstorms that present a particularly hazardous subset of thunderstorms. A first-time characterisation of the spatiotemporal occurrence of mesocyclones in the Alpine region is presented, using 5 years of Swiss operational radar data. We investigate parallels to hailstorms, particularly the influence of large-scale flow, daily cycles and terrain. Improving understanding of mesocyclones is valuable for risk assessment and warning purposes.
Dalton K. Sasaki, Carolina B. Gramcianinov, Belmiro Castro, and Marcelo Dottori
Weather Clim. Dynam., 2, 1149–1166, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-1149-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-1149-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Extratropical cyclones are relevant in the western South Atlantic and influence the climate of ocean surface wave. Propagating atmospheric features from the South Pacific to the South Atlantic are relevant to the cyclones and waves, and its intensified westerlies lead to more cyclones and, as a consequence, to higher wave heights. The opposite happens with its weakening. These features are similar to the so-called Pacific South American patterns and present periods between 30 and 180 d.
Laurent Terray
Weather Clim. Dynam., 2, 971–989, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-971-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-971-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Attribution of the causes of extreme temperature events has become active research due to the wide-ranging impacts of recent heat waves and cold spells. Here we show that a purely observational approach based on atmospheric circulation analogues and resampling provides a robust quantification of the various dynamic and thermodynamic contributions to specific extreme temperature events. The approach can easily be integrated in the toolbox of any real-time extreme event attribution system.
Claudia Christine Stephan and Alexis Mariaccia
Weather Clim. Dynam., 2, 359–372, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-359-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-359-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Vertical motion on horizontal scales of a few hundred kilometers can influence cloud properties. This motion is difficult to measure directly but can be inferred from the area-averaged mass divergence. The latter can be derived from horizontal wind measurements at the area’s perimeter. This study derives vertical properties of area-averaged divergence from an extensive network of atmospheric soundings and proposes an explanation for the variation of divergence magnitudes with area size.
José J. Hernández Ayala and Rafael Méndez-Tejeda
Weather Clim. Dynam., 1, 745–757, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-1-745-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-1-745-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This study focused on exploring if off-season tropical cyclones, those that develop outside of the peak months, have been increasing over time in the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean basins and if that higher frequency could be explained by climate variability or change. We found that off-season tropical cyclones are exhibiting an increase in total numbers by decade in the North Atlantic and East Pacific ocean basins and that climate change explained much of the increasing trends over time.
Cited articles
Antonescu, B., Schultz, D. M., Holzer, A., and Groenemeijer, P.: Tornadoes in Europe: An underestimated threat, B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 98, 713–728, 2017.
Bedka, K., Murillo, E. M., Homeyer, C. R., Scarino, B., and Mersiovsky, H.:
The above-anvil cirrus plume: An important severe weather indicator in
visible and infrared satellite imagery, Weather Forecast., 33,
1159–1181, 2018.
Blair, S. F., Deroche, D. R., Boustead, J. M., Leighton, J. W., Barjenbruch,
B. L., and Gargan, W. P.: A radar-based assessment of the detectability of
giant hail, E-Journal of Severe Storms Meteorology, 6, 1–30, 2011.
Blair, S. F., Laflin, J. M., Cavanaugh, D. E., Sanders, K. J., Currens, S. R., Pullin, J. I., Cooper, D. T., and Mallinson, H. M.: High-resolution hail observations: Implications for NWS warning operations, Weather Forecast., 32, 1101–1119, 2017.
Bolgiani, P., Santos-Muñoz, D., Fernández-González, S., Sastre,
M., Valero, F., and Martín, M. L.: Microburst detection with the WRF
model: Effective resolution and forecasting indices, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 125, e2020JD032883, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JD032883, 2020.
Brooks, H. E., Lee, J. W., and Craven, J. P.: The spatial distribution of
severe thunderstorm and tornado environments from global reanalysis data,
Atmos. Res., 67, 73–94, 2003.
Brooks, H. E., Anderson, A. R., Riemann, K., Ebbers, I., and Flachs, H.:
Climatological aspects of convective parameters from the NCAR/NCEP
reanalysis, Atmos. Res., 83, 294–305, 2007.
Brooks, H. E., Doswell III, C. A., Zhang, X., Chernokulsky, A. A., Tochimoto, E., Hanstrum, B., Nascimento, E., Sills, D. M. L., Antonescu, B., and Barrett, B.: A century of progress in
severe convective storm research and forecasting, Meteor. Mon.,
59, 18.1–18.41, 2019.
Browning, K. A.: Cellular structure of convective storm, Meteorol. Mag., 91, 341–350, 1962.
Bunkers, M. J., Klimowski, B. A., and Zeitler, J. W.: The importance of parcel choice and the measure of vertical wind shear in evaluating the convective environment, Preprints, 21st Conf. Severe Local Storms, 11–16 August 2002, San Antonio, USA, American Meteorological Society, J117–J120, 11–16, https://ams.confex.com/ams/SLS_WAF_NWP/techprogram/paper_47319.htm (last access: 1 September 2022), 2002.
Calvo-Sancho, C.: Caracterización de los ambientes convectivos que
favorecen el desarrollo de la convección organizada en España:
exploración y evolución en el período 1979-2019 mediante
reanálisis ERA5, Final Master Thesis, Universidad de Zaragoza, https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.25129.31841, 2021.
Calvo-Sancho, C. and Martín, Y.: Supercell Pre-convective Environments in Spain: a dynamic downscaling of ERA-5 Reanalysis, EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 April 2021, EGU21-2967, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-2967, 2021.
Castro, A., Sánchez, J. L., and Fraile, R.: Statistical
comparison of the properties of thunderstorms in different areas around the
Ebro-Valley (Spain), Atmos. Res., 28, 237–257, 1992.
Chernokulsky, A., Kurgansky, M., Mokhov, I., Shikhov, A., Azhigov, I., Selezneva, E., Zakharchenko, D., Antonescu, B., and Kühne, T.: Tornadoes in northern Eurasia: From the middle age to the information era, Mon. Weather Rev., 148, 3081–3110, 2020.
Coffer, B. E., Taszarek, M., and Parker, M. D.: Near-Ground Wind Profiles of
Tornadic and Nontornadic Environments in the United States and Europe from
ERA5 Reanalyses, Weather Forecast., 35, 2621–2638, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-20-0153.1, 2020.
Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros: Estadística de Riesgos
Extraordinarios, Serie 1971–220, http://www.consorseguros.es/web/documents/10184/44193/Estadistica_Riesgos_Extraordinarios_1971_2014/14ca6778-2081-4060-a86d-728d9a17c522 (last access: 30 January 2022), 2020.
Dahl, J. M. L.: Supercells – Their dynamics and prediction, MSc thesis, Dept. of Theoretical Meteorology, Free University of Berlin, 121 pp., http://www.estofex.org/files/dahl_thesis.pdf (last access: 28 June 2022), 2006.
Davenport, C. E.: Environmental Evolution of Long-Lived Supercell Thunderstorms in the Great Plains, Weather Forecast., 36, 2187–2209. 2021.
Davis-Jones, R., Burgess, D. W., and Foster, M.: Test of helicity as a
forecast parameter. Preprints, 16th Conf. on Severe Local Storms, Kananaskis
Park, AB, Canada, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 588–592, 1990.
Doswell III, C. A. and Rasmussen, E. N.: The effect of neglecting the virtual temperature correction on CAPE calculations, Weather Forecast., 9, 625–629, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0434(1994)009<0625:TEONTV>2.0.CO;2, 1994.
Dotzek, N., Groenemeijer, P., Feuerstein, B., and Holzer, A. M.: Overview of
ESSL's severe convective storms research using the European Severe Weather
Database ESWD, Atmos. Res., 93, 575–586, 2009.
Duda, J. D. and Gallus, W. A.: Spring and summer midwestern severe weather
reports in supercells compared to other morphologies, Weather Forecast., 25, 190–206, https://doi.org/10.1175/2009WAF2222338.1, 2010.
Edwards, R., Allen, J. T., and Carbin, G. W.: Reliability and climatological
impacts of convective wind estimations, J. Appl. Meteorol. Clim., 57, 1825–1845, 2018.
Elmore, K. L., Flamig, Z. L., Lakshmanan, V., Kaney, B. T., Farmer, V.,
Reeves, H. D., and Rothfusz, L. P.: mPING: Crowd-sourcing weather reports
for research, B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 95, 1335–1342, 2014.
Galanaki, E., Lagouvardos, K., Kotroni, V., Flaounas, E., and Argiriou, A.:
Thunderstorm climatology in the Mediterranean using cloud-to-ground
lightning observations, Atmos. Res., 207, 136–144, 2018.
García-Ortega, E., Merino, A., López, L., and Sánchez, J. L.:
Role of mesoscale factors at the onset of deep convection on hailstorm days
and their relation to the synoptic patterns, Atmos. Res., 114,
91–106, 2012.
Gascón, E., Merino, A., Sánchez, J. L., Fernández-González,
S., García-Ortega, E., López, L., and Hermida, L.: Spatial
distribution of thermodynamic conditions of severe storms in southwestern
Europe, Atmos. Res., 164, 194–209, 2015.
Gatzen, C. P., Fink, A. H., Schultz, D. M., and Pinto, J. G.: An 18-year climatology of derechos in Germany, Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 1335–1351, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-20-1335-2020, 2020.
Gayà, M.: Tornadoes and severe storms in Spain, Atmos. Res., 100, 334–343, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.Atmosres.2010.10.019, 2011.
Gensini, V. A., Converse, C., Ashley, W. S., and Taszarek, M.: Machine
Learning Classification of Significant Tornadoes and Hail in the United
States Using ERA5 Proximity Soundings, Weather Forecast., 36,
2143–2160, 2021.
Groenemeijer, P., Púčik, T., Holzer, A. M., Antonescu, B., Riemann-Campe, K., Schultz, D. M., Kühne, T., Feuerstein, B., Brooks, H. E., Doswel III, C. A., Koppert, H. J., and Sausen, R.: Severe convective
storms in Europe: Ten years of research and education at the European Severe
Storms Laboratory, B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 98, 2641–2651, 2017.
Gropp, M. E. and Davenport, C. E.: The impact of the nocturnal transition
on the lifetime and evolution of supercell thunderstorms in the Great
Plains, Weather Forecast., 33, 1045–1061, 2018.
Gutierrez, R. E. and Kumjian, M. R.: Environmental and Radar
Characteristics of Gargantuan Hail–Producing Storms, Mon. Weather Rev., 149, 2523–2538, 2021.
Hannesen, R., Dotzek, N., Gysi, H., and Beheng, K. D.: Case study of a
tornado in the Upper Rhine valley, Meteorol. Z., 7,
163–170, 1998.
Hersbach, H., Bell, B., Berrisford, P., Biavati, G., Horányi, A., Muñoz Sabater, J., Nicolas, J., Peubey, C., Radu, R., Rozum, I., Schepers, D., Simmons, A., Soci, C., Dee, D., and Thépaut, J.-N.: ERA5 hourly data on pressure levels from 1959 to present, Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) Climate Data Store (CDS) [data set], https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.bd0915c6, 2018.
Hersbach, H., Bell, B., Berrisford, P., Hirahara, S., Horányi, A.,
Muñoz-Sabater, J., Nicolas, J., Peubey, C., Radu, R., Schepers, D.,
Simmons, A., Soci, C., Abdalla, S., Abellan, X., Balsamo, G., Bechtold, P.,
Biavati, G., Bidlot, J., Bonavita, M., Chiara, G., Dahlgren, P., Dee, D.,
Diamantakis, M., Dragani, R., Flemming, J., Forbes, R., Fuentes, M., Geer,
A., Haimberger, L., Healy, S., Hogan, R. J., Hólm, E., Janisková, M.,
Keeley, S., Laloyaux, P., Lopez, P., Lupu, C., Radnoti, G., Rosnay, P.,
Rozum, I., Vamborg, F., Villaume, S., and Thépaut, J.: The ERA5 global
reanalysis, Q. J. R. Meteor. Soc., 146, 1999–2049, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.3803, 2020.
Kahraman, A., Kadioglu, M., and Markowski, P. M.: Severe convective storm
environments in Turkey, Mon. Weather Rev., 145, 4711–4725, 2017.
Kaltenböck, R.: The outbreak of severe storms along convergence lines
northeast of the Alps. Case study of the 3 August 2001 mesoscale convective
system with a pronounced bow echo, Atmos. Res., 70, 55–75, 2004.
Kaltenböck, R., Diendorfer, G., and Dotzek, N.: Evaluation of thunderstorm indices from ECMWF analyses, lightning data and severe storm reports, Atmos. Res., 93, 381–396, 2009.
Kotroni, V. and Lagouvardos, K.: Lightning in the Mediterranean and its
relation with sea-surface temperature, Environ. Res. Lett.,
11, 034006, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/11/3/034006, 2016.
Krennert, T., Pistotnik, G., Kaltenberger, R., and Csekits, C.: Crowdsourcing of weather observations at national meteorological and hydrological services in Europe, Adv. Sci. Res., 15, 71–76, https://doi.org/10.5194/asr-15-71-2018, 2018.
Kunz, M., Blahak, U., Handwerker, J., Schmidberger, M., Punge, H. J., Mohr, S., Fluck, E., and Bedka, K. M.: The severe hailstorm in southwest Germany on 28 July 2013: Characteristics, impacts and meteorological conditions, Q.
J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 144, 231–250, 2018.
Kunz, M., Wandel, J., Fluck, E., Baumstark, S., Mohr, S., and Schemm, S.: Ambient conditions prevailing during hail events in central Europe, Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 1867–1887, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-20-1867-2020, 2020.
Li, F., Chavas, D. R., Reed, K. A., and Dawson II, D. T.: Climatology of
severe local storm environments and synoptic-scale features over North
America in ERA5 reanalysis and CAM6 simulation, J. Climate, 33,
8339–8365, 2020.
López, L. and Sánchez, J. L.: Discriminant methods for radar
detection of hail, Atmos. Res., 93, 358–368, 2009.
Mann, H. B. and Whitney, D. R.: On a test of whether one of two random
variables is stochastically larger than the other, Ann. Math. Stat., 50–60, 1947.
Manzato, A.: Hail in northeast Italy: Climatology and bivariate analysis
with the sounding-derived indices, J. Appl. Meteorol. Clim., 51, 449–467, 2012.
Markowski, P. and Richardson, Y.: Mesoscale meteorology in midlatitudes, vol. 2, John Wiley and Sons, ISBN 0470742135, 2011.
Markowski, P. M. and Dotzek, N.: A numerical study of the effects of
orography on supercells, Atmos. Res., 100, 457–478, 2011.
Martín, Y., Cívica, M., and Pham, E.: Constructing a Supercell
Database in Spain Using Publicly Available Two-Dimensional Radar Images and
Citizen Science, Ann. Am. Assoc. Geogr., 111, 1346–1366, https://doi.org/10.1080/24694452.2020.1812371, 2020.
Melcón, P., Merino, A., Sánchez, J. L., López, L., and
García-Ortega, E.: Spatial patterns of thermodynamic conditions of
hailstorms in southwestern France, Atmos. Res., 189, 111–126, 2017.
Merino, A., García-Ortega, E., López, L., Sánchez, J. L., and
Guerrero-Higueras, A. M.: Synoptic environment, mesoscale configurations and
forecast parameters for hailstorms in Southwestern Europe, Atmos. Res., 122, 183–198, 2013.
Miglietta, M. M., Mazon, J. and Rotunno, R.: Numerical simulations of a
tornadic supercell over the Mediterranean, Weather Forecast., 32,
1209–1226, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-16-0223.1, 2017.
Mohr, S., Kunz, M., Richter, A., and Ruck, B.: Statistical characteristics of convective wind gusts in Germany, Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 957–969, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-957-2017, 2017.
Mora, M., Riesco, J., de Pablo Dávila, F., and Rivas Soriano, L.:
Atmospheric background associated with severe lightning thunderstorms in
Central Spain, Int. J. Climatol., 35, 558–569, 2015.
Mulholland, J. P., Peters, J. M., and Morrison, H.: How does LCL height
influence deep convective updraft width?, Geophys. Res. Lett.,
48, e2021GL093316, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL093316, 2021.
National Weather Service (NWS): Supercell structure and dynamics, https://www.weather.gov/lmk/supercell/dynamics (last access: 24 January 2022), 2019.
Nevius, D. S. and Evans, C.: The influence of vertical advection
discretization in the WRF-ARW Model on capping inversion representation in
warm-season, thunderstorm-supporting environments, Weather Forecast.,
33, 1639–1660, 2018.
Nisi, L., Martius, O., Hering, A., Kunz, M., and Germann, U.: Spatial and
temporal distribution of hailstorms in the Alpine region: a long-term, high
resolution, radar-based analysis, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 142, 1590–1604, 2016.
Púčik, T., Groenemeijer, P., Rýva, D., and Kolář, M.:
Proximity soundings of severe and nonsevere thunderstorms in central
Europe, Mon. Weather Rev., 143, 4805–4821, 2015.
Quirantes Calvo, J. A., Riesco Martín, J., and Núñez Mora, J.
Á.: Características básicas de las supercélulas en
España, Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET), https://repositorio.aemet.es/bitstream/20.500.11765/709/10/Caracteristicas_supercelulas.pdf (last access: 28 June 2022), 2014.
Rasmussen, E. N. and Blanchard, D. O.: A baseline climatology of
sounding-derived supercell and tornado forecast parameters, Weather
Forecast., 13, 1148–1164, 1998.
Rodríguez, O. and Bech, J.: Sounding-derived parameters associated
with tornadic storms in Catalonia, Int. J. Climatol., 38, 2400–2414, 2018.
Rodríguez, O. and Bech, J.: Tornadic environments in the Iberian
Peninsula and the Balearic Islands based on ERA5 reanalysis, Int.
J. Climatol., 41, E1959–E1979, 2021.
Romero, R., Ramis, C., Alonso, S., Doswell III, C. A., and Stensrud, D. J.:
Mesoscale model simulations of three heavy precipitation events in the
western Mediterranean region, Mon. Weather Rev., 126, 1859–1881,
1998.
Shaltout, M. and Omstedt, A.: Recent sea surface temperature trends and
future scenarios for the Mediterranean Sea, Oceanologia, 56, 411–443,
2014.
Smith, B. T., Thompson, R. L., Grams, J. S., Broyles, C., and Brooks, H. E.:
Convective modes for significant severe thunderstorms in the contiguous
United States. Part I: Storm classification and climatology, Weather Forecast., 27, 1114–1135, 2012.
Taszarek, M., Brooks, H. E., and Czernecki, B.: Sounding-derived parameters
associated with convective hazards in Europe, Mon. Weather Rev.,
145, 1511–1528, 2017.
Taszarek, M., Brooks, H. E., Czernecki, B., Szuster, P., and Fortuniak, K.:
Climatological aspects of convective parameters over Europe: A comparison of
ERA-interim and sounding data, J. Climate, 31, 4281–4308,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-17-0596.1, 2018.
Taszarek, M., Allen, J., Púčik, T., Groenemeijer, P., Czernecki, B., Kolendowicz, L., Lagouvardos, K., Kotroni, V., and Schulz, W.: A climatology of thunderstorms across Europe from a synthesis of multiple data sources, J. Climate, 32, 1813–1837, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-18-0372.1, 2019.
Taszarek, M., Allen, J. T., Groenemeijer, P., Edwards, R., Brooks, H. E.,
Chmielewski, V., and Enno, S. E.: Severe convective storms across Europe and
the United States. Part I: Climatology of lightning, large hail, severe
wind, and tornadoes, J. Climate, 33, 10239–10261, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-20-0345.1, 2020a.
Taszarek, M., Allen, J. T., Púčik, T., Hoogewind, K. A., and Brooks,
H. E.: Severe Convective Storms across Europe and the United States. Part II:
ERA5 Environments Associated with Lightning, Large Hail, Severe Wind, and
Tornadoes, J. Climate 33, 10263–10286, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-20-0346.1, 2020b.
Taszarek, M., Pilguj, N., Allen, J. T., Gensini, V., Brooks, H. E., and
Szuster, P.: Comparison of convective parameters derived from ERA5 and
MERRA-2 with Rawinsonde data over Europe and North
America, J. Climate, 34, 3211–3237, 2021.
Thompson, R. L., Edwards, R., Hart, J. A., Elmore, K. L., and Markowski, P.:
Close proximity soundings within supercell environments obtained from the
Rapid Update Cycle, Weather Forecast., 18, 1243–1261, 2003.
Thompson, R. L., Mead, C. M., and Edwards, R.: Effective storm-relative helicity and bulk shear in supercell thunderstorm environments, Weather Forecast., 22, 102–115, 2007.
Thompson, R. L., Smith, B. T., Grams, J. S., Dean, A. R., and Broyles, C.:
Convective modes for significant severe thunderstorms in the contiguous
United States. Part II: Supercell and QLCS tornado environments, Weather Forecast., 27, 1136–1154, 2012.
Tomas-Burguera, M., Beguería, S., and Vicente-Serrano, S. M.:
Climatology and trends of reference evapotranspiration in Spain,
Int. J. Climatol., 41, E1860–E1874, 2021.
Tullot, I. F.: Climatología de España y Portugal, vol. 76,
Universidad de Salamanca, ISBN 8478009442, 2000.
Vicente-Serrano, S. M., Azorin-Molina, C., Sanchez-Lorenzo, A., Revuelto, J., López-Moreno, J. I., González-Hidalgo, J. C., Moran-Tejeda, E., and Espejo, F.: Reference evapotranspiration variability and trends in Spain,
1961–2011, Global Planet. Change, 121, 26–40, 2014.
Weisman, M. L. and Klemp, J. B.: The dependence of numerically simulated
convective storms on vertical wind shear and buoyancy, Mon. Weather Rev., 110, 504–520, 1982.
Westermayer, A., Púčik, T., Groenemeijer, P., and Tijssen, L.: Comparison of sounding observations and reanalysis of thunderstorm environments, Eighth European Conf. on Severe Storms, 14–18 September 2015, Wiener Neustadt, Austria, European Severe Storms Laboratory, http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/ECSS2015/ECSS2015-136-1.pdf (last access: 28 June 2022), 2016.
Short summary
Supercells are among the most complex and dangerous severe convective storms due to their associated phenomena (lightning, strong winds, large hail, flash floods, or tornadoes). In this survey we study the supercell synoptic configurations and convective environments in Spain using the atmospheric reanalysis ERA5. Supercells are grouped into hail (greater than 5 cm) and non-hail events in order to compare and analyze the two events. The results reveal statistically significant differences.
Supercells are among the most complex and dangerous severe convective storms due to their...
