FN Archimer Export Format PT J TI Characterization of the air–sea exchange mechanisms during a Mediterranean heavy precipitation event using realistic sea state modelling BT AF Sauvage, César Lebeaupin Brossier, Cindy Bouin, Marie-Noëlle Ducrocq, Véronique AS 1:1;2:1;3:1,2;4:1; FF 1:;2:;3:;4:; C1 CNRM, Université de Toulouse, Météo-France/CNRS, Toulouse, France CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, UBO/Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (LOPS), UMR 6523, IUEM, Plouzané, France C2 CNRM (METEO FRANCE), FRANCE CNRS, FRANCE UM LOPS IN WOS Cotutelle UMR DOAJ copubli-france IF 6.133 TC 11 UR https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00609/72112/70853.pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00609/72112/70854.pdf LA English DT Article AB This study investigates the mechanisms acting at the air–sea interface during a heavy precipitation event that occurred between 12 and 14 October 2016 over the north-western Mediterranean area and led to large amounts of rainfall (up to 300 mm in 24 h) over the Hérault region (southern France). The study case was characterized by a very strong (>20 m s−1) easterly to south-easterly wind at low level that generated very rough seas (significant wave height of up to 6 m) along the French Riviera and the Gulf of Lion. In order to investigate the role of the waves on air–sea exchanges during such extreme events, a set of numerical experiments was designed using the Météo-France kilometre-scale AROME-France numerical weather prediction model – including the WASP (Wave-Age-dependant Stress Parametrization) sea surface turbulent flux parametrization – and the WaveWatch III wave model. Results from these sensitivity experiments in the forced or coupled modes showed that taking the waves generated by the model into account increases the surface roughness. Thus, the increase in the momentum flux induces a slowdown of the easterly low-level atmospheric flow and a displacement of the convergence line at sea. Despite strong winds and a young sea below the easterly flow, the turbulent heat fluxes upstream of the precipitating system are not significantly modified. The forecast of the heaviest precipitation is finally modified when the sea state is taken into account; notably, in terms of location, this modification is slightly larger in the forced mode than in the coupled mode, as the coupling interactively balances the wind sea, the stress and the wind. PY 2020 PD FEB SO Atmospheric Chemistry And Physics SN 1680-7316 PU Copernicus GmbH VL 20 IS 3 UT 000514113700002 BP 1675 EP 1699 DI 10.5194/acp-20-1675-2020 ID 72112 ER EF