Development of surface and upper air synoptic catalogues for the Central Mediterranean and an application to the analysis of nitrogen dioxide in the Rome winter season.

Abstract

Abstract Synoptic climatological approaches provide an effective framework for the analysis of atmospheric circulation patterns and the relationship with environmental variables. The objective circulation classification method of Jenkinson and Collison is applied to the central Mediterranean for the period 1948–2021. In order to capture more synoptic information a modified version of the method is used to also develop a series using the 500 hPa surface. Results capture key modes of variability of the Mediterranean atmosphere. The technique is used to examine variability in daily nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentration in Rome. Analysis shows an evident surface synoptic control in the winter months and consideration of upper patterns renders this approach more effective.