Hydrographic effects of an intense “medicane” over the central-eastern Mediterranean Sea in 2018

The formation of cyclones over the sea surface is driven by air-sea interaction with feedbacks on wave generation, thermohaline structures, and biochemical properties upper-ocean layers. In Mediterranean basin, strong cyclonic systems having tropical-like characteristics are called “medicanes”. consequences such events usually assessed land, however, hydrographic effects particularly difficult to be quantified mostly due rarity oceanographic in-situ monitoring systems. this study, a high-impact medicane, crossing central-eastern in late September 2018 investigated mainly based Argo float measurements. We traced its fingerprint examined upper-layer physical analyzing temperature salinity profiles from floats that overlapped track. Float data supported satellite reanalysis meteorological records. synergistic intense evaporation vertical mixing mechanisms triggered resulted abrupt cooling, especially Ionian Aegean Seas. A relatively homogenous decrease upper 50-m-depth layer followed, along deepening mixed-layer depth, corresponding an estimated per profile average deficit (-2.72 ± 1.23) x 108 J m?2 ocean heat content. Simultaneously, significant freshening occurred because heavy rainfall. However, increase subsurface waters was observed after medicane event, which associated both horizontal advection followed weakening Atlantic Water signal dominance Levantine Surface zone. Our findings highlight strong, short-scale alterations made available expansion marginal seas operational network.