Natural Hazards and Earth System Science www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net 1561-8633 1684-9981 8 3 2008 10.5194/nhess-8-461-2008 http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/8/461/2008/ http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/8/461/2008/nhess-8-461-2008.html http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/8/461/2008/nhess-8-461-2008.pdf 461 471 2008-05-09 Synoptic, thermodynamic and agroeconomic aspects of severe hail events in Cyprus S. C. Michaelides silas@ucy.ac.cy K. Savvidou K. A. Nicolaides A. Orphanou G. Photiou C. Kannaouros Meteorological Service, Nicosia, Cyprus Agricultural Insurance Organization, Nicosia Cyprus Hail is a hazardous weather element often accompanying a thunderstorm, as a result of either thermal instability or instability associated with baroclinic synoptic-scale systems (i.e. frontal depressions). Nevertheless, instability of any kind and thunderstorm activity does not always lead to the formation of hail of adequate size to reach the ground. The broader the knowledge concerning hail events the better the understanding of the underlying thermodynamic and dynamic mechanisms, as well as the physical processes associated with its formation. <br><br> In the present study, the severe hail events that were recorded in Cyprus during the ten-year period from 1996 until 2005 were examined, first by grouping them into two clusters, namely, the "thermal instability cluster" and the "frontal depression cluster". Subsequently, the spatial and temporal evolution of the synoptic, dynamic and thermodynamic characteristics of these hail events was studied in depth. Also, the impact of hailstorms on the local economy of the island is presented in terms of the compensations paid by the Agricultural Insurance Organization of the country. Blanchet, G.: Le temps au Liban. Approche d'une Climatologie Synoptique, Thèse 3ème Cycle, Lyon. T.I., 447 (text et tab.) & T.II (Atlas), 1976. Dessens, J.: A physical evaluation of a hail suppression project with silver iodide ground burners in southwestern France. J. Appl. Meteorol., 37, 1588–1599, 1998. El-Fandy, M. G.: Barometric Lows of Cyprus, Q. J. Roy. Met. Soc., 72, 291–306, 1946. Flocas, H. A., Maheras, P., Karacostas, T. S., Patrikas, I., and Anagnostopoulou, C.: A 40-year climatological study of relative vorticity distribution over the Mediterranean, Int.J. Climatol., 21, 1759–1778, 2001. Jacobeit, J.: Variations of trough position and precipitation patterns in the Mediterranean area, J. Climatol., 7, 453–476, 1987. Kallos, G. and Metaxas, D. A.: Synoptic processes for the formation of Cyprus lows, Riv. Meteorol. Aeronau. XL(2-3), 121–138, 1980. Maheras, P.: A factorial analysis of Mediterranean precipitation, Arch. Meteor. Geophy. B., 36, 1–14, 1985. Maheras, P., Flocas, H. A., Anagnostopoulou, C., and Patrikas, I.: On the vertical structure of composite surface cyclones in the Mediterranean region, Theor. Appl. Climatol., 71, 199–217, 2002. Michaelides, S., Nicolaides, K., and Karacostas, T.: Statistical characteristics of the cold season depressions over the area of Cyprus, Meteorologick\'y �asopis 7, 61–66, 2004. Michaelides, S. C.: Limited area energetics of Genoa cyclogenesis, Mon. Weather Rev., 115, 13–26, 1987. Michaelides, S. C.: A spatial and temporal energetics analysis of a baroclinic disturbance in the Mediterranean, Mon. Weather Rev., 120, 1224–1243, 1992. Nicolaides, K.: Synoptic and dynamic study of the depression cases affected the wider area of Cyprus during cold months. PhD thesis, Aristotelian University, Thessaloniki, Greece (in Greek), 2005. Nicolaides, K., Michaelides, S., and Karacostas, T.: Spatial distribution of some dynamic parameters during the evolution of selected depressions over the area of Cyprus, Int. J. Climatol., 24, 1829–1844, 2004. Nicolaides, K., Michaelides, S., and Karacostas, T.: Synoptic and dynamic characteristics of selected deep depressions over Cyprus, Advances in Geosciences, 7, 195–180, 2006. Petterssen, S.: Weather analysis and forecasting. McGraw-Hill, 1956. Radinovic, D.: Mediterranean cyclones and their influence on the weather and climate, program on short and medium range weather prediction research (PSMP), W.M.O. Sofia, 1987. Reiter, E.R.: Handbook for forecasters in the Mediterranean. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey California, USA, 1975. University of Wyoming: http://weather.uwyo.edu/upperair/sounding.html, last access: 15 December 2007.