Automated database of mesocyclones from the HIRLAM(INM)‐0.5° analyses in the western Mediterranean

Abstract

AbstractAn automated procedure has been developed to detect and select mesoscale cyclones and describe their tracks by means of the numerical analysis model, the HIRLAM(INM)‐0.5°, operational at the Spanish Institute of Meteorology (INM). This procedure gives us a description of features of these cyclones, such as their frequency of appearance, geographical distribution and horizontal dimensions, and it also enables us to study the movement and the evolution of the cyclone centres. This procedure was developed in order to obtain an automated database of Mediterranean cyclones. To check the performance of this method, the distribution of cyclones was compared with the distribution obtained from a manual catalogue of mesoscale cyclones, and selected cases were studied using both methods. Some results obtained for the western Mediterranean are presented. A large number of cyclones are detected and most of them are located in specific zones, such as the Gulf of Genoa, south of the Pyrenees, south of the Iberian Peninsula and the Alboran Sea. The cyclones follow preferred tracks, which are different depending on the season. Copyright © 2001 Royal Meteorological Society