This dataset provides indicators on European windstorms derived from ERA5 reanalysis. The dataset permits an assessment of the nature and temporal evolution of windstorms associated with Extra-Tropical Cyclones. The dataset provides detection and tracking of pan-European potentially harmful windstorms, associated with extra-tropical cyclones. The dataset provides a temporal and seasonal extension of the current Windstorm Service, characterising events over the whole ERA5 reanalysis period (1940-present) and the whole year, with periodic updates in a quasi-operational fashion. This dataset is constituted of three main datasets:
-
Windstorm tracks; EWS introduces a second tracking algorithm, TempestExtremes (TE, Ullrich et al., 2021), completing the one already used in the current service (TRACK, Hodges 1995, 1999, Hoskins and Hodges 2002). Windstorm tracks are identified in ERA5 reanalysis data from 1940 to present with period updates linked to ERA5 new release. The automated cyclone tracking algorithms use mean sea level pressure and 850hPa relative vorticity (in TE and TRACK respectively) to identify and track the cyclones.
-
Windstorm-associated footprints, mapping the maximum value of a 10m-height wind gust during a specific event. This latter is the maximum 10m wind gust at each grid point in the domain over a 72-hour time window (Roberts et al., 2014). The footprints are statistically downscaled from the ERA5 31km grid to a 1km grid using multiple linear regression to include orography-driven and wind shear effects on footprint wind gusts.
-
Summary indicators, annual-based statistics derived from decontaminated footprints considering both the tracking algorithms. Three wind gust thresholds (15, 20, and 25 m/s) are considered.
Datasets will be updated through an automatised procedure running codes underlying data production over the periodic ERA5 dataset new releases.
This dataset was produced on behalf of the Copernicus Climate Change Service