Atmospheric Research, Volume (218), No (1), Year (2019-4) , Pages (269-284)

Title : ( Atmospheric dynamics associated with exceptionally dusty conditions over the eastern Mediterranean and Greece in March 2018 )

Authors: D.G. Kaskaoutis , Alireza Rashki , U.C. Dumka , Abbas Mofidi , H.D. Kambezidis , B.E. Psiloglou , D. Karagiannis , K. Petrinoli , A. Gavriil ,

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Abstract

This study examines the atmospheric dynamics that facilitated frequent and intense dust storms over the eastern Mediterranean in March 2018 via the synergy of satellite observations, ground-based measurements and reanalysis. The negative NAO phase in March 2018 caused cold weather conditions over the central/west Europe and strengthened the temperature gradient between cold European and warm North-African air at all levels from the surface up to 300 hPa. Large negative mean sea-level pressure -MSLP- anomalies over the western Mediterranean and south Europe strengthened the sea-level pressure and geopotential-height gradients across the Mediterranean, resulting in intensification of the westerlies over the west/central Mediterranean and the development of the Sharav cyclones along the north African coast. In addition, enhanced south/southwesterlies dominated over the eastern Mediterranean, associated with cyclonic conditions and intense dust storms on several days in March 2018. These meteorological conditions resulted in an increase of ~0.3–0.4 in AOD -~100%- and ~200 μg m−3 in surface dust concentration over parts of the eastern Mediterranean, compared to the mean March climatology. The vertical aerosol profiles over the eastern Mediterranean show a large increase in the mean extinction coefficient -~200 Mm−1- due to dust loading at altitudes between ~1 and 4 km. The dust radiative impact caused a significant decrease -~−10 Wm−2- in the incoming solar radiation under clear skies and in the latent and sensible energy fluxes over the eastern Mediterranean in March 2018, thus modulating the radiation/energy budget.

Keywords

, Meteorological dynamics NAO, Cyclones, Dust storms, East Mediterranean, March 2018
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@article{paperid:1071726,
author = {D.G. Kaskaoutis and Rashki, Alireza and U.C. Dumka and Mofidi, Abbas and H.D. Kambezidis and B.E. Psiloglou and D. Karagiannis and K. Petrinoli and A. Gavriil},
title = {Atmospheric dynamics associated with exceptionally dusty conditions over the eastern Mediterranean and Greece in March 2018},
journal = {Atmospheric Research},
year = {2019},
volume = {218},
number = {1},
month = {April},
issn = {0169-8095},
pages = {269--284},
numpages = {15},
keywords = {Meteorological dynamics NAO; Cyclones; Dust storms; East Mediterranean; March 2018},
}

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%0 Journal Article
%T Atmospheric dynamics associated with exceptionally dusty conditions over the eastern Mediterranean and Greece in March 2018
%A D.G. Kaskaoutis
%A Rashki, Alireza
%A U.C. Dumka
%A Mofidi, Abbas
%A H.D. Kambezidis
%A B.E. Psiloglou
%A D. Karagiannis
%A K. Petrinoli
%A A. Gavriil
%J Atmospheric Research
%@ 0169-8095
%D 2019

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