Two cases of severe weather in Catalonia (Spain): an observational study

Abstract

Surface observations, satellite and radar imagery and cloud‐to‐ground lightning data are used in an observational study of two cases that produced severe weather in Catalonia (Spain). The first one occurred on 24 August 1993; a squall line crossed Catalonia from west to east producing heavy rain with rates of up to 100 mm h−1 and hail of 7 cm diameter. The observational information provided is a good tool for monitoring the event and issuing a reasonable nowcast. The second case, which occurred on 31 August 1994, was associated with the development of a tornado (F1 in the Fujita scale) as well as hail of up to 5 cm diameter. In this case the convection was almost stationary and no clear signatures of severe weather can be identified from available satellite and radar imagery. Copyright © 1997 Royal Meteorological Society

An observational study of the 7 September 2005 Barcelona tornado outbreak

“…As in previous studies (Martin et al, 1997;Ramis et al, 1997;Homar et al, 2003) it should be remarked, from the operational point of view, that remote sensing observations used here -with the appropriate conceptual models -provide guidance to help forecasters in the surveillance process. However they are of limited use to detect the precise occurrence and location of this type of events and therefore to issue timely warnings to prevent or mitigate their effects.…”

“…Accordingly, in the last decade a number of tornadic cases affecting those areas have been documented in the literature (see for example Martín et al, 1997;Ramis et al, 1997Ramis et al, , 1999Homar et al, 2001Homar et al, , 2003. From a European perspective, a survey by Dotzek (2003) showed the relatively high incidence of tornadoes and waterspouts in Southern Europe Mediterranean coasts.…”

Climatology of Severe Hail in Finland: 1930–2006

“…and , Houze et al (1993), Ramis et al (1997), Fraile et al (2001. Several points are worth making about these studies.…”

Tornadoes and waterspouts in Catalonia (1950–2009)

“…Most of the papers on the phenomenon center on the meteorological factors that produced the tornadoes (see among others, Gayà and Redaño, 1996;Ramis et al, 1997;Homar et al, 2003;Aran et al, 2006;Bech et al, 2007). The oldest and most complete systematic work bringing together data about tornadoes in Spain refers to the Balearic Islands (Gayà et al, 2001), although data about tornadoes in Spain have also been collected and analysed (Gayà, 2005).…”