Strong winds accompanying extratropical cyclones are commonly associated with various mesoscale features. This work introduces RAMEFI (RAndom-forest-based Mesoscale wind Feature Identification), an objective and flexible identification approach based on key surface characteristics to distinguish these features. RAMEFI is further applied to compile a climatology over Europe, offering a comprehensive analysis of feature frequency, distribution, and characteristics.

This book is composed of 12 review papers invited for the Palmen Memorial Symposium on Extratropical Cyclones held in Helsinki, Finland, 29 August - 2 September 1988. To celebrate the 90th anniversary of the birth of Professor Erik Palmén, this symposium was organized to give a state-of-the-art picture of research on the structure and dynamics of extratropical cyclones, a topic which Palmén pioneered during the era of advances in aerological analysis. This symposium was organized by the Geophysical Society of Finland and the American Meteorological Society in cooperation with the Danish, Norwegian and Swedish Geophysical Societies. Extratropical Cyclones offers state-of-the-art information on extratropical cyclones, and recent findings by European and American authorities in various subject areas. The first two chapters discuss Palmen's works on cyclones and his early general circulation concepts. The ten chapters following chronicle the advances in understanding cyclones; the theory, structure, and physical processes of cyclones; orographic cyclogenesis; and more. Extratropical Cyclones also contains synoptic case analyses, modeling results, examples of the phenomena discussed, and abundant references. While particular aspects are emphasized in the individual contributions, the book as a whole summarizes the major features of various kinds of extratropical cyclones based on observational analyses, theory and numerical experimentation. This volume is of interest to researchers in dynamic and synoptic meteorology, climatology and mesometeorology, as well as in numerical modeling and weather forecasting. It is also useful for meteorology courses at graduate and upper undergraduate levels.

Global environmental change is one of the most pressing international issues of the next century. There is a need to monitor the Earth's vital signs, from atmospheric ozone to tropical deforestation to sea level change. Models used to predict global changes have not yet fully used global observational data sets. Satellite data sets will be vital in addressing global change issues, in determining natural variability and monitoring global and regional changes. This timely volume provides an illustration of the variety of satellite-derived global data sets now available, their uses, advantages and limitations, and the range of variation that has already been observed with these data. A team of distinguished contributors provide a highly illustrated and accessible account suitable for the general scientific reader.

A quantitative introduction to atmospheric science for students and professionals who want to understand and apply basic meteorological concepts but who are not ready for calculus.

This highly illustrated book is a collection of 13 review papers focusing on convective storms and the weather they produce. It discusses severe convective storms, mesoscale processes, tornadoes and tornadic storms, severe local storms, flash flood forecast and the electrification of severe storms.

This multi-authored book provides an updated description of climate variability in the Mediterranean basin, focusing on decadal and centennial time scales and on the results available on the impact of future emission scenarios at regional scale. The authors describs both local physical processes responsible for these variability - such as changes in the surface properties and land use- and globalprocesses - such as changes in the large scale atmospheric circulation associated to global warming, NAO, tropical monsoon and ENSO. Regional climate change issues are also addressed. Mediterranean Climate Variability aims to review the research on this region and to provide at the same time both an introduction and a reference for researchers. It covers topics typical of Climatology, Climate history, Meteorology, Oceanography, Environmental Science but the information here provided would also be useful for research in agriculture, social and economic studies. It is addressed to scientists and students interested in the Mediterranean climate and environment. Some topics have interesting connections to nearby regions: Northern Atlantic, West Africa, central and Eastern Europe. Each chapter will contain a summary meant to provide information to policy makers, researchers from other fields, and in general to a wide audience without a technical expertise on climate. * Provides an updated analysis of the Mediterranean climate features and guidelines for future research * Considers both oceanographic and atmospheric aspects * Analyzes the Mediterranean climate in a global perspective