Advances in Geosciences www.adv-geosci.net 1680-7340 1680-7359 16 Observation, Prediction and Verification of Precipitation (EGU Session 2007) 2008 10.5194/adgeo-16-117-2008 http://www.adv-geosci.net/16/117/2008/ http://www.adv-geosci.net/16/117/2008/adgeo-16-117-2008.html http://www.adv-geosci.net/16/117/2008/adgeo-16-117-2008.pdf 117 124 2008-04-09 An investigation of a baroclinic depression that affected the area of Cyprus K. Nicolaides kleanthi@spidernet.com.cy K. Savvidou A. Orphanou S. C. Michaelides P. Constantinides C. Papachristodoulou M. Savvides Meteorological Service, Nicosia, Cyprus Department of Lands and Surveys, Nicosia, Cyprus The synoptic, dynamic, energetic and thermodynamic conditions during the development of a baroclinic depression which affected the area of Cyprus from 5 to 9 February 2006 are studied. The depression was associated with extreme weather phenomena such as thunderstorms, strong winds, dust and high precipitation accumulations (amounting to 50% of the mean monthly value). The results underline the importance of the dynamic control on the cyclone's development and the important contribution of the system itself in the energetics of the atmosphere. The thermodynamic analysis has proved a very useful tool in identifying the convective potential of the atmosphere at various stages of the development. Meteorological Office: Weather in the Mediterranean., Vol. I, 2nd edition, HMSO: London, 1962. Reiter, E. R.: Handbook for forecasters in the Mediterranean, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey California, USA, 1975. Radinovic, D.: Mediterranean cyclones and their influence on the weather and climate, program on short and medium range weather prediction research (PSMP), W.M.O. Sofia, 132 pp., 1987. Jacobeit, J.: Variations of trough position and precipitation patterns in the Mediterranean Area, J. Climatol., 7, 453–476, 1987. Petterssen, S.: Weather analysis and forecasting, McGraw-Hill, 1956. Maheras, P., Flocas, H. A., Anagnostopoulou, C., and Patrikas, I.: On the vertical structure of composite surface cyclones in the Mediterranean region, Theor. Appl. Climatol., 71, 199–217, 2002. Flocas, H. A., Maheras, P., Karacostas, T. S., Patrikas, I., and Anagnostopoulou, C.: A 40-year Climatological study of relative vorticity distribution over the Mediterranean, Int. J. Climatol., 21, 1759–1778 , 2001. Michaelides, S. C.: Limited area energetics of Genoa cyclogenesis, Mon. Weather Rev., 115, 13–26, 1987. Prezerakos, N. G. and Michaelides, S. C.: A composite diagnosis in sigma coordinates of the atmospheric energy balance during intense cyclone activity, Q. J. Roy Met. Soc., 115, 463–486, 1989. Michaelides, S. C.: A spatial and temporal energetics analysis of a baroclinic disturbance in the Mediterranean, Mon Weather Rev, 120, 1224–1243, 1992. Michaelides, S., Evripidou, P., and Kallos, G.: Monitoring and predicting Saharan Desert Dust events in the Eastern Mediterranean, Weather, 54, 359–365, 1999. Nicolaides, K., Michaelides, S., and Karacostas, T.: Spatial distribution of some dynamic parameters during the evolution of selected depressions over the area of Cyprus, Int. J. Climatol., 24, 1829–1844, 2004a. Nicolaides, K., Michaelides, S., and Karacostas, T.: Statistical characteristics of the cold season depressions over the area of Cyprus, Meteorological Journal, 7, 61–66, 2004b. Nicolaides, K.: Synoptic and dynamic study of the depression cases affected the wider area of Cyprus during cold months, PhD thesis, Aristotelian University, Thessaloniki, Greece (in Greek), 2005. Nicolaides, K., Michaelides, S., and Karacostas, T.: Synoptic and dynamic characteristics of selected deep depressions over Cyprus, Adv. Geosci., 7, 195–180, 2006.