Positive Arctic conditions save the eastern Mediterranean basin from the summer heat!

Arab Weather - Unlike the European continent and the western Mediterranean, the eastern Mediterranean basin, including the Levant countries, remains far removed from the scorching summer heat and the direct influence of the heat dome.

Arab Weather forecasters said several factors contributed to the heat dome and heat waves moving away from the eastern Mediterranean basin, the most important of which may be the positive Arctic coefficient.

What is the Arctic (AO) coefficient?

The Arctic coefficient is a climate index that describes the variation in air pressure at sea level between the Arctic and mid-latitudes (about 45°N). It has two phases:

• Positive phase: Low pressure over the poles and high pressure in the mid-latitudes.
• Negative phase: high pressure over the pole and low pressure in the mid-latitudes

How does the positive Arctic coefficient contribute to the heat dome moving away from the eastern Mediterranean?

Arab Weather experts said that in the case of a positive phase of the Arctic coefficient, the jet stream will be strong and stable over the polar dome regions, preventing cold air masses from penetrating southward toward western and central Europe. Consequently, the subtropical highs will remain centered in western or southern Europe, reducing the chances of them extending toward the eastern Mediterranean basin.

Experts add that this weather situation contributes significantly to the movement of air masses towards eastern Europe, which in turn leads to the flow of relatively cold northwesterly air from eastern Europe towards the eastern Mediterranean, limiting the penetration of hot air masses northward.

Conclusion

The positive Arctic coefficient during the summer contributes, without any doubt or neglecting other climatic phenomena, to the relatively moderate weather prevailing during the summer in the eastern Mediterranean regions, the absence or weakness of long heat waves, and the occasional possibility of active and dusty winds.