The pressure tendency equation as a diagnostic tool for a mediterranean explosive cyclone

Abstract The joint contribution of baroclinic and diabatic processes to Mediterranean explosive cyclogenesis suggests that neither the warm-sector equivalent potential temperature θ e nor the jet-streak strength alone can adequately assess their relative importance. A numerically solved surface pressure tendency equation is used to quantify the contribution of diabatic processes in Mediterranean explosive cyclogenesis. The results demonstrate that, during the genesis and evolution of an explosive cyclone over the central Mediterranean in November 2017, the interaction between upper-level baroclinic and low-level diabatic processes triggered the development of the explosive cyclone, but low-level baroclinicity and diabatic processes dominated the subsequent cyclone evolution. The application of the this method to a case associated whit severe weather impacts quantifies the contribution of the relevant dynamic processes and shows that diabatic heating is the primary driver during the explosive development phase, while also revealing differences between the northern and southern Mediterranean.