Seasonal precipitation variability in the east of the Iberian Peninsula is weakly linked to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) during autumn and winter. For the purpose of improving the study of its performance, low‐frequency variability patterns specific to the Mediterranean basin have been searched for. In this way, the Western Mediterranean Oscillation (WeMO) has been defined by means of the dipole composed, in its positive phase, by the anticyclone over the Azores and the depression over Liguria, and its index (WeMOi), as a result of the difference of the standardised values in surface atmospheric pressure in San Fernando (Spain) and Padua (Italy). This new index allows the detection of the variability relevant to the cyclogenesis next to the western Mediterranean basin, which determines in a predominant way the types of rainfall in the Gulf of Valencia. In this area, the WeMO is significantly better than the NAO to explain the monthly pluviometric anomalies during these seasons. Also, a daily resolution of the WeMOi can provide a useful tool to forecast torrential rainfall events in the north‐western zones of the Mediterranean (eastern part of the Iberian Peninsula and the south of France), and such significantly daily rainfall frequencies for different thresholds. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society.

Given its concentration in a few days and its modest total volume, knowledge about precipitation with daily resolution in Spain is highly important. In this article, a concentration index (CI) that evaluates the varying weight of daily precipitation, i.e. the contribution of the days of greatest rainfall to the total amount, is presented. The index is applied to exponential curves such as Y = aXexp(bX), which adjust the accumulated percentages of precipitation Y contributed by the accumulated percentage of days X on which it took place. The index was applied to 32 meteorological stations across peninsular Spain with quality data for the period 1951 to 1990, which enables the spatial patterns of daily pluviometric concentration in the territory to be determined. Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society

On the definition of urban heat island intensity: the “rural” reference

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak (in early 2020) has dictated significant changes in society and territories by anticipating trends, changing priorities, and creating challenges, which are manifested in the territories. These are influenced by the levels of economic, cultural, and social restructuring, in the measures implemented by public administration or in attempts to redefine strategies for tourism destinations. This paper examines the perceptions and behaviors of tourists before and during COVID-19 in the municipality of Porto, the main area of the Porto Metropolitan Area, in Portugal. Research was based on the application of a questionnaire survey, probing the sensitivity of tourists to the crisis in the decision-making of daily routines, as well as future travel plans in the presence of a serious health concern. A total of 417 surveys were collected in the summers of 2019 and 2020. In addition to descriptive statistics, this paper also includes the results of the analysis of explanatory factors, being a reference for future studies. There were significant changes in the use of public space and the way tourist visits are handled, namely: (i) the concentration of visiting time (shorter visit than usual in certain tourist profiles); (ii) spatially limited visiting areas; and (iii) the ability to attract standard tourists from certain countries where tighter lockdown rules were imposed. Main implications of this study are reflected in the challenges that are imposed on the local agenda, where traditional problems are added to the responsibilities in crisis management and the ability to establish a third order of intervention in tourism.

A national priority at the Moroccan level is to understand the spatiotemporal rainfall irregularity to anticipate suitable strategies for water and agriculture management. The most northern mountainous region shows intense sensitivity to extreme hydroclimatic hazards which may compromise the future of socioeconomic acceleration and further weaken environmental balances. However, planning and decision making require accurate data, on a detailed scale and with good spatial distribution which is not the case in several south-Mediterranean countries where rainfall data and/or well-established hydro-meteorological network is lacking. In this paper, abundant rain gauge measurements combined with time-series open data (1958–2015) were used to study the rainfall variability. Results show an annual rainfall increase trend since 1996 with frequent, intense and abundant rains causing violent torrents and floods. This humid trend alternates with short but severe dry periods. Spatial distribution shows a rainfall increase from eastern to western area and from the coastal plains to high mountains. Based on a continuous daily rainfall dataset (from 1988 to 2012) from six scattered stations, it appears that the pattern of heavy and extreme wet days takes the form of an irregular interannual cycle. Trends of the annual precipitation daily concentration indicate a significant positive trend in the center than in the East of the study area. Considering these observations, a review of water needs/obligations priorities seems crucial so that a new conscious and adaptative environmental policy would approve new procedures for a sustainable management.