Alonso, Sergio (Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma de Mallorca, Spain)
The European Project ANOMALIA (Anomalies induced by mountains and sea in rainfall over land in the western Mediterranean area) represented a cooperative effort (University of the Balearic Islands, Spain; University of Reading, UK; FISBAT, CNR, Bologna, Italy; Laboratory of Aerology, CNRS, Toulouse, France) in order to increase the degree of understanding of the non-linear interaction processes which take place as a consequence of the close proximity of mountains and sea, that characterize the western Mediterranean area, and which are responsible for high precipitation rates and flash floods in this area.
The two specific aspects focused have been:
a) The modification of pre-existing weather systems due to the western Mediterranean orography and sea surface temperature, leading to heavy precipitation, and b) The development of mesoscale and synoptic conditions leading to severe local convection, in particular stationary storms that produce floods.
The methodology was based in the so-called case studies technique with five cases selected during the period November 91-November 94. Our approach included theoretical studies and numerical diagnosis and simulation.