chapter 2

Question 1

The Mediterranean Basin (MB) is one of the most

Answer 1

cyclogenetic regions in the world.

Question 2

The Mediterranean Basin (MB) is one of the most cyclogenetic regions in the world. This is in spite of its being

Answer 2

south of the global mid-latitude cyclone belt and the fact that its southern end, latitude 30^◦N, denotes the northern border of the global desert belt.

Question 3

The southern location of the MB suppresses

Answer 3

cyclonic activity in the summer, leaving the winter as the main active season.

Question 4

In the winter, the MB offers all the cyclogenetic factors, being

Answer 4

• highly baroclinic,
• warmer than its surroundings and
• positioned at the lee of mountain ridges, such as the Atlas ridge in Morocco, the European Alps and the Taurus ridge in Turkey.

جبال الاطلس في المغرب

جبال الالب في اوروبا

جبال توروس في تركيا

Question 5

The MB winter cyclones have some special characteristics:

Answer 5

• they develop mainly at the northern Mediterranean coasts
• their horizontal size varies between meso-scale and synoptic-scale;
• their life span is around one to four days;
• their typical speed is ∼5 ms−1.

Question 6

In addition to the winter cyclones, another type of frontal cyclone, known as the

Answer 6

“Sharav”, or “North African Cyclone”, is observed in the MB.

Question 7

“Sharav”, or “North African Cyclone”, is observed in the MB. These cyclones, most frequent in the

Answer 7

spring season

Question 8

“Sharav”, or “North African Cyclone”, is observed in the MB. These cyclones, most frequent in the spring season, develop and move along the

Answer 8

southern coast of the MB.

Question 9

“Sharav”, or “North African Cyclone”, is observed in the MB. These cyclones, most frequent in the spring season, develop and move along the southern coast of the MB. They owe their existence to

Answer 9

the high temperature gradient that develops between the Mediterranean Sea and the African continent during that season.

Question 10

The winter cyclone track in the MB co-exists with the

Answer 10

European track

Question 11

The winter cyclone track in the MB co-exists with the European track, which is an extension of the

Answer 11

Atlantic stormtrack

Question 12

The winter cyclone track in the MB co-exists with the European track, which is an extension of the Atlantic stormtrack. It is therefore possible that

Answer 12

the MB cyclones are influenced by the European ones.

Question 13

Main winter cyclone track in the MB.

The main track is

Answer 13

eastward, along the northern coast of the Mediterranean, down to the Levant region, with three branches

Question 14

The main track is eastward, along the northern coast of the Mediterranean, down to the Levant region, with three branches toward

Answer 14

northeast, where cyclones leave the MB in favor of the European track

Question 15

The main track is eastward, along the northern coast of the Mediterranean, down to the Levant region, with three branches toward the northeast, where cyclones leave the MB in favor of the European track;

Answer 15

two in the Adriatic Sea (ITALY) and one in the Aegean Sea (Grees). An additional track extends from the lee of the Atlas along the North Africa coast.

Question 16

Cyclones that have formed within the MB are differentiated from those entering that region (…………. of the MB cyclones are formed outside the Basin).

Answer 16

42%

Question 17

The main cyclogenesis regions are:

Answer 17

• the Gulf of Genoa,
• the Iberian Peninsula, (spain)
• Palos,
• the Atlantic coast of Morocco,
• southern Italy,
• the Aegean Sea, (Greece)
• the Tyrrhenian Sea, (Italy)
• south of Sardinia, (ITALY)
• the Ionic sea,
• the Balares Islands and
• Cyprus.

Question 18

The spatial distributions and general cyclogenesis mechanisms in the Mediterranean region have

Answer 18

two main centers of activity in winter, over the western and eastern basins

and one main center over Iberia in the summer.

Question 19

the Mediterranean Sea and its immediate environs experience a high spatial variability of weather conditions, leading to

Answer 19

large arid areas and, yet, still accommodating the greatest annual precipitations totals in Europe, in the Dinaric Alps.

Question 20

The relatively small annual cycle over the whole basin reflects the

Answer 20

the completely different seasonalities in the separate cyclogenetic regions

Question 21

The relatively small annual cycle over the whole basin reflects the completely different seasonalities in the separate cyclogenetic regions. For example,

Answer 21

there is a peak of activity in spring over the Sahara, in summer over Iberia, and a smoother annual cycle over the Black Sea.

Question 22

The western Mediterranean has a much more marked ………………than the eastern basin

Answer 22

seasonality

Question 23

The western Mediterranean has a much more marked seasonality than the eastern basin. Frequency of occurrence should not be simply equated with

Answer 23

strength

Question 24

Frequency of occurrence should not be simply equated with strength. An example is over the

Answer 24

the Gulf of Genoa where, although cyclones are a constant feature over the whole year, they are generally deeper, and have more severe weather in winter than during the summer, when they are, in fact, more frequent.

Question 25

The peak of the winter season in the Mediterranean occurs around

Answer 25

January, when the midlatitude cyclone belt has usually reached its southernmost position.

Question 26

The peak of the winter season in the Mediterranean occurs around January, when the midlatitude cyclone belt has usually reached its southernmost position.

By then,

Answer 26

synoptic lows and troughs, steered along the meanders of the polar front jet, are more likely to directly influence Mediterranean cyclogenesis and weather.

Question 27

High values of…………… may also be observed during the winter, mainly along the …………

Answer 27

low-level baroclinicity

northern Mediterranean coastline

Question 28

High values of low-level baroclinicity may also be observed during the winter, mainly along the northern Mediterranean coastline, due to the

Answer 28

strong sea–land temperature contrast.

Question 29

High values of low-level baroclinicity may also be observed during the winter, mainly along the northern Mediterranean coastline, due to the strong sea–land temperature contrast. Although all these conditions favor the development of cyclones, the highest number of cases detected in TDB

Answer 29

did not occur in the winter season.

Question 30

Although all these conditions favor the development of cyclones, the highest number of cases detected in TDB did not occur in the winter season. It is in winter, however, that the

Answer 30

most intense, deepest, and more persistent cyclones are observed, frequently associated with wet and/or severe weather conditions.

Question 31

The increased importance of ………………………………… in determining the development and damping of Mediterranean cyclones

Answer 31

local conditions, in particular local instabilities and convection,

Question 32

The increased importance of local conditions, in particular local instabilities and convection, in determining the development and damping of Mediterranean cyclones, constitutes the most prominent feature that marks

Answer 32

transition between winter on one hand, and spring and summer months on the other

Question 33

As a consequence, cyclogenesis and cyclolysis are characterized by

Answer 33

progressively more pronounced diurnal cycles.