SOME ASSESSMENTS OF THE POTENTIAL 2 X CO2 CLIMATIC EFFECTS ON WATER-BALANCE COMPONENTS IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

General circulation model (GCM) coarse evaluations of the climatological impact in the Eastern Mediterranean due to global doubling of the atmospheriC CO2 concentration were used as input for a preliminary estimation of modifications in local processes affecting the water balance in this region. It is suggested that: (i) in the 2 x CO2 climate the average regional change of precipitation associated with typical mid-winter cyclonic systems is relatively small, however, it is associated with redistribution of the regional rainfall; (ii) in the elevated terrain in the northern part of the region, daytime snowmelt due to warm air advection may be enhanced, as much as 2.8 cm per day; and (iii) transpiration in the coastal area of the Eastern Mediterranean may increase by approximately 13% of its current level in the summer and somewhat more in the winter.