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The Mediterranean heat storage and Israeli precipitation
Author(s) -
Tzvetkov E.,
Assaf G.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr018i004p01036
Subject(s) - thermal energy storage , environmental science , mediterranean climate , precipitation , climatology , atmospheric sciences , mediterranean sea , storm , meteorology , geology , geography , thermodynamics , physics , archaeology
The Mediterranean winter storms are intensified by the thermal gradient between the warm sea and intrusions of cold continental air masses. The thermal gradient reflects atmospheric conditions as well as the seasonal heat which is stored in the upper sea. Atmospheric conditions are difficult to predict, yet the heat storage can be measured in the beginning of the winter season. A fair correlation ( R = 0.55) was found between the heat storage in the southeast Mediterranean and winter precipitation, and remarkable correlation ( R = 0.9) was found between heat storage depletion and precipitation. This allows us to consider the upper heat storage as an index for weather predictions. Small heat storage is associated with annual precipitation which does not exceed the average. Large heat storage will precede winters which are not dryer than the average.