Analysis of the structure of a tropical cyclone in the Mediterranean Sea

The rare occunence of tropical-like cyclones in the Mlediterranean Sea has been studied in the past using atmospheric model simulations and satellite imagery, both in visible and infrared bands (Billing et al . 1981, Ernst et al., 1983, Blier et al., 1997). The wind field inside such a kind of cyclones has been measured by the ADEOS-I NSCAT scatterometer, which sensed a mature phase of a cyclone located northeasterly of the Balearic Islands during 9 and 10 December 1996. Figure 1, obtained from different NOAA satellite images shows the evolution of the cyclone from 9 at 02:24 GMT to 10 of Decembter at 17:55 GMT. The mesoscale features of the cyclone have been studied by combining satellite and atmospheric model information. The spatial variability of lhe integrated cloud mixing ratio has beenr derived from the SSM/l radiometer. The Eta/NCEP atmospheric model has been run over the region of interest using 4 km horizontal resolution, producing the wind, vertical velocity, precipitation, integrated water vapor and liquid cloud water, able to characteris the cyclone.