The influence of orography on water vapour profiles over complex terrain in southern Italy

In this paper we discuss the evolution of water vapour profiles over a complex valley located in Calabria peninsula, in southern of Italy. This evolution is studied by means of water vapour profiles measurements, based on a CO2 LIDAR/DIAL station and by numerical simulations of the water vapour atmospheric content. The simulations have been performed by the CSU-RAMS mesoscale model. As shown in a previous study(1), the water vapour profiles evolution over Calabria are strongly affected by the main topographic features even in calm large scale condition, when the interaction between the orography and the large scale winds weakens. Indeed, in calm or nearly calm synoptic scale conditions, a strong sea-breeze and intense mountain valley flow develop over this peninsula determining convergence and updraft over the mountain peaks. In this paper we discuss interesting features in three days of July 2000. These days were characterized by both light winds, fair weather conditions and stronger wind, sky covered conditions.