Operational forecasting of a snowfall event over the Greater Athens Area

摘要

A case of an intense snowfall in the Greater Athens Area (GAA) between 16and 18 February 2008 is investigated. The physical processes that forcedthe snowfall event are identified and analysed. The main factor causing theevent at its start was the entrainment of arctic air masses fromNorth-Eastern Europe. At a second stage, the Aegean Sea acted as the GreatLakes of Canada and North-East USA and in association with the existingextremely cold air masses aloft and the enrichment of the air with humidityand heat led to the enhancement of the snowfall in the GAA. In the finalstage of the event, the local meteorological conditions associated with thetopography of the area resulted in the occurrence of very intense snowfallevent on the leeward side of the GAA. The available operational observationsand forecast tools were used for accurately predicting the intensity,duration and evolution of the event.