March 1987 Cyclone (Blizzard) over the Eastern Mediterranean and Balkan Region Associated with Blocking

Abstract

The March 1987 blizzard over the eastern Mediterranean and Balkan regions is investigated. Northern Hemispheric and regional 250- and 850-hPa geopotential heights illustrate the formation of blocking over northern Europe and cyclogenesis over the considered area. The 850-hPa analyses and National Centers for Environmental Prediction Eta model simulations are in good agreement. Temporal analyses of temperature and precipitation fields show that a cold air surge over the region resulted in a decrease in the daily temperatures of up to 15°C and a heavy accumulation of snow in the early days of the storm. Spatial analyses of the precipitation field reveal that the most snowfall-affected regions were northwestern Turkey and the Balkan countries.