[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/www.pesceinrete.com\/the-mediterranean-sea-is-particularly-vulnerable-to-marine-heatwaves\/#NewsArticle","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.pesceinrete.com\/the-mediterranean-sea-is-particularly-vulnerable-to-marine-heatwaves\/","headline":"The Mediterranean Sea is particularly vulnerable to marine heatwaves","name":"The Mediterranean Sea is particularly vulnerable to marine heatwaves","description":"The Mediterranean Sea is particularly vulnerable to marine heatwaves \u2013 such as the record-breaking 2022 event, marked by exceptionally high sea surface temperatures \u2013 due to the interaction between air\u2013sea heat fluxes and local oceanographic processes, with significant impacts on marine ecosystems and coastal communities. A new study led by CMCC brings the scientific community […]","datePublished":"2025-08-21","dateModified":"2025-08-21","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.pesceinrete.com\/author\/comunicato-stampa\/#Person","name":"Redazione","url":"https:\/\/www.pesceinrete.com\/author\/comunicato-stampa\/","identifier":2217,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2d27b5a1a7cf9a003c987f35693dd7fe345733443eaa68034a2ee9e92782e25d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2d27b5a1a7cf9a003c987f35693dd7fe345733443eaa68034a2ee9e92782e25d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.pesceinrete.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/pesceinrete.png","url":"https:\/\/www.pesceinrete.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/pesceinrete.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.pesceinrete.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/The-Mediterranean-Sea-is-particularly-vulnerable-to-marine-heatwaves.png","url":"https:\/\/www.pesceinrete.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/The-Mediterranean-Sea-is-particularly-vulnerable-to-marine-heatwaves.png","height":375,"width":640},"url":"https:\/\/www.pesceinrete.com\/the-mediterranean-sea-is-particularly-vulnerable-to-marine-heatwaves\/","about":["Overseas"],"wordCount":594,"keywords":["Mediterranean marine heatwaves"],"articleBody":"The Mediterranean Sea is particularly vulnerable to marine heatwaves \u2013 such as the record-breaking 2022 event, marked by exceptionally high sea surface temperatures \u2013 due to the interaction between air\u2013sea heat fluxes and local oceanographic processes, with significant impacts on marine ecosystems and coastal communities.A new study led by CMCC brings the scientific community closer to identifying the triggers of these extreme events. By analyzing hundreds of marine heatwaves detected through advanced satellite data and clustering analysis, the research shows that persistent subtropical ridges \u2013 intrusions of hot air from the African continent into Europe, often informally referred to as \u201cAfrican anticyclones\u201d \u2013 play a far greater role than rising atmospheric temperatures alone.Although subtropical ridges occur frequently in summer, forming roughly every two days, it is their persistence that creates the critical conditions for marine heatwaves. At the onset of such events, these ridges become stationary, halting the usual eastward movement of weather systems.When ridges settle over the Mediterranean basin for five or more consecutive days, prevailing winds weaken, the sea stops dispersing heat, and surface waters warm rapidly.Three typical examples of marine heatwaves (MHWs) in the Mediterranean (above) and the corresponding atmospheric circulation (below). Source: \u201cMediterranean summer marine heatwaves triggered by weaker winds under subtropical ridges,\u201d Nature Geoscience.\u201cOur study identifies the favorable conditions that precede marine heatwaves and shows that they are triggered by persistent subtropical ridges that weaken strong winds in the area,\u201d explains Ronan McAdam, CMCC researcher and co-author of the study.The findings reveal that 63.3%, 46.4% and 41.3% of marine heatwaves in the western, central, and eastern Mediterranean respectively occur during periods characterized by both subtropical ridges and weak wind conditions \u2013 a striking concentration, given that such conditions only occur 8.6% to 14.6% of all summer days.When subtropical ridges persist for several days, the resulting decline in wind speed reduces the heat loss from ocean to atmosphere. This loss accounts for more than 70% of the total heat flux in affected regions, driving most of the sea temperature rise.\u201cIt is very rewarding to identify the mechanisms behind a phenomenon we have been studying for years,\u201d says Giulia Bonino, lead author of the study.Furthermore, the probability ratios across the three Mediterranean clusters \u2013 26 events in the western basin, 18 in the central, and 14 in the eastern \u2013 show that when a subtropical ridge and weak winds occur simultaneously, the likelihood of a marine heatwave increases by four to five times.This statistical relationship lays the foundation for more accurate forecasting systems, which could help protect marine ecosystems and the industries that depend on them from future extreme events. For instance, in the Gulf of Lion, subsurface temperatures rose by nearly 7\u00b0C in just two days during the most extreme heatwaves, highlighting how rapidly these events can develop and the urgent need for precise forecasts and effective responses.\u201cIt was an excellent collaboration between oceanographers and meteorologists \u2013 combining expertise and passion makes the difference,\u201d adds McAdam. By integrating high-resolution ocean data with meteorological insights, the team demonstrated that early-warning systems can go beyond simple temperature thresholds, incorporating the physical dynamics that truly trigger these events.As the Mediterranean Sea warms faster than the global average, knowing exactly when a marine heatwave is about to strike becomes crucial. \u201cOur work highlights previously unidentified processes that are essential for accurately representing Mediterranean marine heatwaves,\u201d McAdam concludes. \u201cThese results are vital to improving forecasting systems and Earth system models, marking a fundamental step towards effective early-warning and mitigation strategies in the region.\u201dSubscribe to Pesceinrete\u2019s weekly newsletter to receive exclusive updates from the seafood and marine sector.NEWSLETTER"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"The Mediterranean Sea is particularly vulnerable to marine heatwaves","item":"https:\/\/www.pesceinrete.com\/the-mediterranean-sea-is-particularly-vulnerable-to-marine-heatwaves\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]