Evolving flood patterns in a Mediterranean region (1301–2012) and climatic factors – the case of Catalonia
Data on flood occurrence and flood impacts for the last seven centuries in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula have been analysed in order to characterise long-term trends, anomalous periods and their relationship with different climatic factors such as precipitation, general circulation and solar ac...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2015-01-01
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| Series: | Hydrology and Earth System Sciences |
| Online Access: | http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/19/465/2015/hess-19-465-2015.pdf |
| _version_ | 1811208665801162752 |
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| author | A. Barrera-Escoda M. C. Llasat |
| author_facet | A. Barrera-Escoda M. C. Llasat |
| author_sort | A. Barrera-Escoda |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Data on flood occurrence and flood impacts for the last seven centuries in
the northeastern Iberian Peninsula have been analysed in order to
characterise long-term trends, anomalous periods and their relationship with
different climatic factors such as precipitation, general circulation and
solar activity. Catastrophic floods (those that produce complete or partial
destruction of infrastructure close to the river, and major damages in the
overflowed area, including some zones away from the channels) do not present
a statistically significant trend, whereas extraordinary floods (the channel
is overflowed and some punctual severe damages can be produced in the
infrastructures placed in the rivercourse or near it, but usually damages are slight) have seen
a significant rise, especially from 1850 on, and were responsible for the
total increase in flooding in the region. This rise can be mainly attributed
to small coastal catchments, which have experienced a marked increase in
developed land and population, resulting in changes in land use and greater
vulnerability. Changes in precipitation alone cannot explain the variation in
flood patterns, although a certain increase was shown in late summer–early
autumn, when extraordinary floods are most frequently recorded. The
relationship between the North Atlantic circulation and floods is not as
strong, due to the important role of mesoscale factors in heavy precipitation
in the northwest of the Mediterranean region. However, it can explain the
variance to some extent, mainly in relation to the catastrophic floods
experienced during the autumn. Solar activity has some impact on changes in
catastrophic floods, with cycles related to the quasi-biennial oscillation
(QBO) and the Gleissberg solar cycle. In addition, anomalous periods of high flood
frequency in autumn generally occurred during periods of increased solar
activity. The physical influence of the latter in general circulation
patterns, the high troposphere and the stratosphere, has been analysed in
order to ascertain its role in causing floods. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T04:25:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3b05512707f142148e7904178a5c8e12 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1027-5606 1607-7938 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T04:25:25Z |
| publishDate | 2015-01-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Hydrology and Earth System Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-3b05512707f142148e7904178a5c8e122022-12-22T03:48:05ZengCopernicus PublicationsHydrology and Earth System Sciences1027-56061607-79382015-01-0119146548310.5194/hess-19-465-2015Evolving flood patterns in a Mediterranean region (1301–2012) and climatic factors – the case of CataloniaA. Barrera-Escoda0M. C. Llasat1Climate Change Unit, Meteorological Service of Catalonia, Barcelona, SpainMeteorological Hazard Analysis Team (GAMA), Department of Astronomy and Meteorology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainData on flood occurrence and flood impacts for the last seven centuries in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula have been analysed in order to characterise long-term trends, anomalous periods and their relationship with different climatic factors such as precipitation, general circulation and solar activity. Catastrophic floods (those that produce complete or partial destruction of infrastructure close to the river, and major damages in the overflowed area, including some zones away from the channels) do not present a statistically significant trend, whereas extraordinary floods (the channel is overflowed and some punctual severe damages can be produced in the infrastructures placed in the rivercourse or near it, but usually damages are slight) have seen a significant rise, especially from 1850 on, and were responsible for the total increase in flooding in the region. This rise can be mainly attributed to small coastal catchments, which have experienced a marked increase in developed land and population, resulting in changes in land use and greater vulnerability. Changes in precipitation alone cannot explain the variation in flood patterns, although a certain increase was shown in late summer–early autumn, when extraordinary floods are most frequently recorded. The relationship between the North Atlantic circulation and floods is not as strong, due to the important role of mesoscale factors in heavy precipitation in the northwest of the Mediterranean region. However, it can explain the variance to some extent, mainly in relation to the catastrophic floods experienced during the autumn. Solar activity has some impact on changes in catastrophic floods, with cycles related to the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) and the Gleissberg solar cycle. In addition, anomalous periods of high flood frequency in autumn generally occurred during periods of increased solar activity. The physical influence of the latter in general circulation patterns, the high troposphere and the stratosphere, has been analysed in order to ascertain its role in causing floods.http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/19/465/2015/hess-19-465-2015.pdf |
| spellingShingle | A. Barrera-Escoda M. C. Llasat Evolving flood patterns in a Mediterranean region (1301–2012) and climatic factors – the case of Catalonia Hydrology and Earth System Sciences |
| title | Evolving flood patterns in a Mediterranean region (1301–2012) and climatic factors – the case of Catalonia |
| title_full | Evolving flood patterns in a Mediterranean region (1301–2012) and climatic factors – the case of Catalonia |
| title_fullStr | Evolving flood patterns in a Mediterranean region (1301–2012) and climatic factors – the case of Catalonia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evolving flood patterns in a Mediterranean region (1301–2012) and climatic factors – the case of Catalonia |
| title_short | Evolving flood patterns in a Mediterranean region (1301–2012) and climatic factors – the case of Catalonia |
| title_sort | evolving flood patterns in a mediterranean region 1301 ndash 2012 and climatic factors ndash the case of catalonia |
| url | http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/19/465/2015/hess-19-465-2015.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT abarreraescoda evolvingfloodpatternsinamediterraneanregion1301ndash2012andclimaticfactorsndashthecaseofcatalonia AT mcllasat evolvingfloodpatternsinamediterraneanregion1301ndash2012andclimaticfactorsndashthecaseofcatalonia |