Developing an index for heavy convective rainfall forecasting over a Mediterranean coastal area

Heavy convective rainfall incidents that occurred over western coastal Greece and led to flash floods are analyzed with respect to mesoscale analysis for the period from January 2006 to June 2011. The synoptic scale circulation is examined throughout the troposphere along with satellite images, ligh...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: M. Korologou, H. Flocas, H. Michalopoulou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2014-08-01
Series:Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
Online Access:http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/14/2205/2014/nhess-14-2205-2014.pdf
_version_ 1818228913172643840
author M. Korologou
H. Flocas
H. Michalopoulou
author_facet M. Korologou
H. Flocas
H. Michalopoulou
author_sort M. Korologou
collection DOAJ
description Heavy convective rainfall incidents that occurred over western coastal Greece and led to flash floods are analyzed with respect to mesoscale analysis for the period from January 2006 to June 2011. The synoptic scale circulation is examined throughout the troposphere along with satellite images, lightning data and synoptic observations of weather stations. Well-known instability indices are calculated and tested against synoptic observations. Taking into account the severity of the incidents, the performance of the indices was not as good as expected. Further detailed analysis resulted in the development of a new index that incorporates formalized experience of local weather and modeled knowledge of mechanisms of severe thunderstorms. The proposed index named Local Instability Index (LII), is then evaluated and its performance is found to be quite satisfactory.
first_indexed 2024-12-12T10:10:15Z
format Article
id doaj.art-62e6ab323ce04709b903a93fc04045ef
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1561-8633
1684-9981
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-12T10:10:15Z
publishDate 2014-08-01
publisher Copernicus Publications
record_format Article
series Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
spelling doaj.art-62e6ab323ce04709b903a93fc04045ef2022-12-22T00:27:49ZengCopernicus PublicationsNatural Hazards and Earth System Sciences1561-86331684-99812014-08-011482205221410.5194/nhess-14-2205-2014Developing an index for heavy convective rainfall forecasting over a Mediterranean coastal areaM. Korologou0H. Flocas1H. Michalopoulou2Hellenic National Meteorological Service, Athens, GreeceNational and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Physics, Department of Environmental Physics-Meteorology, Athens, GreeceNational and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Physics, Department of Environmental Physics-Meteorology, Athens, GreeceHeavy convective rainfall incidents that occurred over western coastal Greece and led to flash floods are analyzed with respect to mesoscale analysis for the period from January 2006 to June 2011. The synoptic scale circulation is examined throughout the troposphere along with satellite images, lightning data and synoptic observations of weather stations. Well-known instability indices are calculated and tested against synoptic observations. Taking into account the severity of the incidents, the performance of the indices was not as good as expected. Further detailed analysis resulted in the development of a new index that incorporates formalized experience of local weather and modeled knowledge of mechanisms of severe thunderstorms. The proposed index named Local Instability Index (LII), is then evaluated and its performance is found to be quite satisfactory.http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/14/2205/2014/nhess-14-2205-2014.pdf
spellingShingle M. Korologou
H. Flocas
H. Michalopoulou
Developing an index for heavy convective rainfall forecasting over a Mediterranean coastal area
Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
title Developing an index for heavy convective rainfall forecasting over a Mediterranean coastal area
title_full Developing an index for heavy convective rainfall forecasting over a Mediterranean coastal area
title_fullStr Developing an index for heavy convective rainfall forecasting over a Mediterranean coastal area
title_full_unstemmed Developing an index for heavy convective rainfall forecasting over a Mediterranean coastal area
title_short Developing an index for heavy convective rainfall forecasting over a Mediterranean coastal area
title_sort developing an index for heavy convective rainfall forecasting over a mediterranean coastal area
url http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/14/2205/2014/nhess-14-2205-2014.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT mkorologou developinganindexforheavyconvectiverainfallforecastingoveramediterraneancoastalarea
AT hflocas developinganindexforheavyconvectiverainfallforecastingoveramediterraneancoastalarea
AT hmichalopoulou developinganindexforheavyconvectiverainfallforecastingoveramediterraneancoastalarea