Marine heatwaves characteristics in the Mediterranean Sea: Case study the 2019 heatwave events

Marine Heatwaves (MHWs) are considered one of the main consequences global warming. MHWs negatively affect ecosystems, threaten economies, and intensify storms. In this work, we investigated characteristics in Mediterranean Sea from 1982 to 2020 examined relationship between their frequency teleconnection patterns (e.g., East Atlantic Pattern (EAP) Atlantic/Western Russian (EATL/WRUS)). We then focused on most intense MHW events that occurred 2019 western (WMB) eastern (EMB) by examining link SST anomaly (SSTA) various atmospheric forcings during these events. Our results showed were more frequent WMB than EMB temporal spatial scales, while duration was longer EMB. The trend about 1.3 ± 0.25 events/decade 3.6 1.16 days/decade, respectively. More half all recorded last decade (2011-2020). also EAP plays an important role modulating Sea, with a strong positive correlation 0.74, EATL/WRUS strongly correlated EMB, -0.60. 2019, six observed WMB, three which classified as (SST exceeded two times climatological threshold), detected extended depth 20 meters into water column, greater depths over 50 meters. associated large heat flux shallow mixed layer. high SSTA caused loss ocean atmosphere layer anomalously low mean sea level pressure. Finally, negative surface Chl-a concentrations This influence pronounced suggesting enough infer response chlorophyll-a concentrations.