Sharp increase in Saharan dust intrusions over the western Euro-Mediterranean in February–March 2020–2022 and associated atmospheric circulation
<p>During the months of February–March (FM) of the 2020–2022 period, several intense dust intrusions from northern Africa affected Europe. The frequency of dust events was exceptional, considering that wintertime is the season with minimum dust activity in the Mediterranean, and some episodes...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2024-04-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/24/4083/2024/acp-24-4083-2024.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797218194055757824 |
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| author | E. Cuevas-Agulló E. Cuevas-Agulló D. Barriopedro R. D. García R. D. García S. Alonso-Pérez S. Alonso-Pérez J. J. González-Alemán E. Werner D. Suárez J. J. Bustos G. García-Castrillo O. García Á. Barreto S. Basart S. Basart |
| author_facet | E. Cuevas-Agulló E. Cuevas-Agulló D. Barriopedro R. D. García R. D. García S. Alonso-Pérez S. Alonso-Pérez J. J. González-Alemán E. Werner D. Suárez J. J. Bustos G. García-Castrillo O. García Á. Barreto S. Basart S. Basart |
| author_sort | E. Cuevas-Agulló |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>During the months of February–March (FM) of the 2020–2022 period, several intense dust intrusions from northern Africa affected Europe. The frequency of dust events was exceptional, considering that wintertime is the season with minimum dust activity in the Mediterranean, and some episodes displayed a duration and/or intensity never recorded before, affecting large areas of the western Euro-Mediterranean (WEM) region. The main objective of this work is to construct a catalogue of FM dust events over the WEM for the 2003–2022 period based on satellite aerosol retrievals and to analyse their atmospheric drivers at the synoptic and large scales, paying special attention to the recent 2020–2022 period of high dust activity. Overall, our results indicate large intraseasonal and interannual variability in the occurrence of wintertime dust events over the WEM. Dust events of FM 2020–2022 were characterized by enhanced dust concentration and high maximum altitudes in comparison with those of previous years (2003–2019). WEM dust events are associated with enhanced activity of high-pressure systems over the Euro-Atlantic sector, which favour the obstruction of the westerlies and the occurrence of cut-off lows at subtropical latitudes. However, these high-pressure systems can exhibit a large variety of configurations, including meridional dipole blocking patterns with poleward shifted jets or Mediterranean<span id="page4084"/> subtropical ridges with an intensified mid-latitude jet. The former is the dominant favourable pattern for WEM dust occurrence, but the latter was relatively common during the 2020–2022 period.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T12:13:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b0c48f9ec151424bba41cf967d49d701 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T12:13:52Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-b0c48f9ec151424bba41cf967d49d7012024-04-08T10:15:10ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242024-04-01244083410410.5194/acp-24-4083-2024Sharp increase in Saharan dust intrusions over the western Euro-Mediterranean in February–March 2020–2022 and associated atmospheric circulationE. Cuevas-Agulló0E. Cuevas-Agulló1D. Barriopedro2R. D. García3R. D. García4S. Alonso-Pérez5S. Alonso-Pérez6J. J. González-Alemán7E. Werner8D. Suárez9J. J. Bustos10G. García-Castrillo11O. García12Á. Barreto13S. Basart14S. Basart15Izaña Atmospheric Research Center (IARC), State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), 38001 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, SpainretiredInstituto de Geociencias (IGEO), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universidad Complutense de Madrid (CSIC-UCM), 28040 Madrid, SpainIzaña Atmospheric Research Center (IARC), State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), 38001 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, SpainTRAGSATEC, Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), 38002 La Laguna (Tenerife), SpainInstituto Universitario de Estudios de las Mujeres, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), 38002 La Laguna (Tenerife), SpainModelling Area – Department of Development and Applications, State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), 28040 Madrid, SpainTerritorial Delegation of AEMET in Catalonia, State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), 08071 Barcelona, SpainTerritorial Delegation of AEMET in the Canary Islands, State Meteorological Agency of Spain (AEMET), 35017 Las Palmas, SpainIzaña Atmospheric Research Center (IARC), State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), 38001 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, SpainTerritorial Delegation of AEMET in Catalonia, State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), 08071 Barcelona, SpainIzaña Atmospheric Research Center (IARC), State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), 38001 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, SpainIzaña Atmospheric Research Center (IARC), State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), 38001 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, SpainBarcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), 08034 Barcelona, Spainnow at: the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 1201 Geneva, Switzerland<p>During the months of February–March (FM) of the 2020–2022 period, several intense dust intrusions from northern Africa affected Europe. The frequency of dust events was exceptional, considering that wintertime is the season with minimum dust activity in the Mediterranean, and some episodes displayed a duration and/or intensity never recorded before, affecting large areas of the western Euro-Mediterranean (WEM) region. The main objective of this work is to construct a catalogue of FM dust events over the WEM for the 2003–2022 period based on satellite aerosol retrievals and to analyse their atmospheric drivers at the synoptic and large scales, paying special attention to the recent 2020–2022 period of high dust activity. Overall, our results indicate large intraseasonal and interannual variability in the occurrence of wintertime dust events over the WEM. Dust events of FM 2020–2022 were characterized by enhanced dust concentration and high maximum altitudes in comparison with those of previous years (2003–2019). WEM dust events are associated with enhanced activity of high-pressure systems over the Euro-Atlantic sector, which favour the obstruction of the westerlies and the occurrence of cut-off lows at subtropical latitudes. However, these high-pressure systems can exhibit a large variety of configurations, including meridional dipole blocking patterns with poleward shifted jets or Mediterranean<span id="page4084"/> subtropical ridges with an intensified mid-latitude jet. The former is the dominant favourable pattern for WEM dust occurrence, but the latter was relatively common during the 2020–2022 period.</p>https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/24/4083/2024/acp-24-4083-2024.pdf |
| spellingShingle | E. Cuevas-Agulló E. Cuevas-Agulló D. Barriopedro R. D. García R. D. García S. Alonso-Pérez S. Alonso-Pérez J. J. González-Alemán E. Werner D. Suárez J. J. Bustos G. García-Castrillo O. García Á. Barreto S. Basart S. Basart Sharp increase in Saharan dust intrusions over the western Euro-Mediterranean in February–March 2020–2022 and associated atmospheric circulation Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Sharp increase in Saharan dust intrusions over the western Euro-Mediterranean in February–March 2020–2022 and associated atmospheric circulation |
| title_full | Sharp increase in Saharan dust intrusions over the western Euro-Mediterranean in February–March 2020–2022 and associated atmospheric circulation |
| title_fullStr | Sharp increase in Saharan dust intrusions over the western Euro-Mediterranean in February–March 2020–2022 and associated atmospheric circulation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sharp increase in Saharan dust intrusions over the western Euro-Mediterranean in February–March 2020–2022 and associated atmospheric circulation |
| title_short | Sharp increase in Saharan dust intrusions over the western Euro-Mediterranean in February–March 2020–2022 and associated atmospheric circulation |
| title_sort | sharp increase in saharan dust intrusions over the western euro mediterranean in february march 2020 2022 and associated atmospheric circulation |
| url | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/24/4083/2024/acp-24-4083-2024.pdf |
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