Atmospheric circulation types associated with storms on the romanian Black Sea coast. Application of a new automated scheme

Authors: Panagiotis MAHERAS¹, Konstantia TOLIKA¹, Brindusa CHIOTOROIU²*

Affiliation: ¹ Department of Meteorology and Climatology, School of Geology,

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece; ² Faculty of Naval and Maritime Transport, Constanta Maritime University, Romania

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ABSTRACT. The use of circulation types is a reliable way of describing the regional circulation and understanding the climatic variability. This paper presents the characteristics of the atmospheric circulation at about 5 km height (the 500 hPa level) during storm episodes along the Romanian Black Sea coast. A new automated classification scheme, performed on 500 hPa geopotential height is applied for the first time to atmospheric circulation in this region. Investigation and standardization of the circulation at this level is important since synoptic conditions are relied to the weather in the low atmosphere. As a result, 12 atmospheric circulation types (cyclonic and anticyclonic) are identified. Most of the storms occurred in 20 years in the western part of the Black Sea are relied to 4 cyclonic types. The computing of the 500 hPa anomalies for these types allows to better understand the peculiarities of the atmospheric circulation.

Keywords: automated classification scheme, circulation types, storms, western Black Sea