Dynamic meteorology, Mediterranean rainfall, large scale atmospheric moisture, the connection between climate variations and synoptic mesoscale weather systems.

Research Projects:

 Synoptic, dynamic and humidity char acteristics and their influence on precipitation in Israel Mediterranean disturbances and rainfall.

Abstracts of Current Research

Dynamic and humidity characteristics of major rain storms in Israel: This is a long term effort involving the analysis of the large scale humidity patterns observed by synoptic reanalysis data including humidity, geopotential height, wind and temperature. These data are combined with rainfall data over Israel to understand the structure of synoptic systems causing major rainstorms in Israel with special emphasis on the role of large scale moisture patterns. The role of local evaporation for precipitation: The importance of the hydrological cycle for climate variability and climate change is being increasingly recognized. Central to the role of the hydrological cycle for climatic variability and change is the classical issue of the relative contributions of locally evaporated versus externally advected atmospheric water vapor for regional precipitation. Using a new but simple model, we present the first comprehensive estimation of the intra-seasonal and inter-annual variability of those moisture sources both over the Midwestern United States and for the first time also over the eastern Mediterranean. Finally, the investigation of "wet" and "dry" Red Sea Trough situations over Israel.

Selected Publications:

• Tsvieli, Y. and A. Zangvil. Synoptic climatological analysis of "wet" and "dry" Red Sea Troughs over Israel. International Journal of climatology, 25, 1997-2015, 2005.
• Zangvil, A., D.H. Portis and P.J. Lamb. Investigation of the large scale atmospheric moisture field over the Midwestern United States in relation to summer precipitation. Part II: Recycling of local evapotranspiration and association with soil moisture and crop yields. Journal of Climate, 17, 3283-3301, 2004.
• Agam (Ninari) N., P.R. Berliner, A. Zangvil and E. Ben-Dor. Soil water evaporation during the dry season in an arid zone. Journal of Geophysical Research, Atmosphere, D16103, doi:10.1029/2004JD004802, 2004.
• Zangvil, A., S. Karas and A. Sasson. Connection between Eastern Mediterranean seasonal mean 500 hPa height and sea-level pressure patterns and the spatial rainfall distribution over Israel.International Journal of Climatology, 23, 1567-1576, 2003.
• Zangvil, A., and S. Karas. Comparative analysis of atmospheric disturbance tracks over the Mediterranean Basin and vicinity.Judea and Samaria Research Studies, 10, 405-420, 2001.
• Burde G.I., and A. Zangvil. On the estimation of regional precipitation recycling, Part II: A new recycling model.Journal of Climate, 14, 2509-2527, 2001.
• Burde G.I., and A. Zangvil. On the estimation of regional precipitation recycling, Part I: Review of recycling models.Journal of Climate, 14, 2497-2508, 2001.
• Zangvil, A., D.H. Portis and P.J. Lamb. Investigation of the large scale atmospheric moisture field over the Midwestern United States in relation to summer precipitation. Part I: Relationship between moisture budget components on different time scales.Journal of Climate, 14, 582-597, 2001.
• Karas, S., and A. Zangvil. A preliminary analysis of disturbance tracks over the Mediterranean Basin.Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 64, 239-248, 1999.
• Zangvil, A. & Lamb, P.J. Characterization of sky condition by the use of solar radiation data.Solar Energy, 61: 17-22, 1997.
• Burde, G.I., Zangvil, A. & Lamb, P.J. On estimating the role of local evaporation in precipitation for a two-dimensional region.Journal of Climate, 9: 1328-1338, 1996.
• Zangvil, A. and A. Isakson. Structure of the water vapor field associated with an early spring. rainstorm over the eastern Mediterranean.Israel Journal of Earth Science, 44,159-168, 1995.
• Zangvil, A. and P. Druian. Upper trough axis orientation and the spatial distribution of rainfall over Israel.International Journal of Climatology, 10, 52-62, 1990.