HEAT WAVES IN THE CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN - A SYNOPTIC CLIMATOLOGY

During the warm season, the Mediterranean basin is subject to episodes of air temperature increase, which are usually refered to as ''heat waves'' which can have serious consequences in the interested regions on agriculture, forestry and human health. These events are of two different types: short lasting and very intense or longer in duration but less pronounced in the intensity of the temperature anomaly. In the present work, after the description of the development mechanisms of the two heat wave types, a statistical analysis is carried out on the data relative to the period 1950-1992. The results indicate a connection with anticyclonic patterns present over the basin.