Highlights We investigated the change in visitation of urban green spaces (UGS) during COVID-19 pandemic. Social isolation reduced extent, type and distance of visited UGS on the basis of legal restrictions. Reasons for visiting UGS changed from non-essential before the pandemic to essential during it. Respondents missed visiting UGS regardless of the view of UGS from their window. Respondents expressed the need for UGS integrated within the urban fabric.

The synoptic scale features over the eastern Mediterranean (EM) for July-August are examined using National Centers for Environmental Prediction-National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalysis data. The region is subjected to two primary factors: mid-upper level subsidence and lower level cool advection, associated with the Etesian winds.The interdiurnal variations of these factors were found to be correlated with each other, with a maximum of r = 0.76, found between the 700 hPa subsidence and the 925 hPa wind speed. The impact of these factors on the temperature regime was examined through their contributions in the temperature tendency equation at 32.5°N, 35°E. A significant correlation was found between them at the 850 hPa level, indicating that they tend to balance each other. This explains the low interdiurnal temperature variations there in summer.Zonal-vertical and isentropic cross-sections indicate the existence of a closed circulation connecting the EM with the Asian monsoon, and a meridional-vertical cross-section indicates a signature of the Hadley cell across eastern North Africa. Air back-trajectories demonstrate that the EM is connected at the lower troposphere with Europe, at the midtroposphere with eastern North Africa and at the higher troposphere with the Asian monsoon. Significant correlation was found between the interdiurnal variations in the upward motion over the Asian monsoon and the subsidence over the Levant, with a 1 day lag, implying that the Asian monsoon controls the interdiurnal variations over the Levant.A detailed analysis shows that the correlation between the two dynamic factors governing the EM results from a linkage existing between each one of them and the Asian monsoon. An intensification of the Asian monsoon enhances both the subsidence over the Levant, via the circulation connecting them, and the Etesian winds, due to the enhanced pressure gradient between the two regions.

ABSTRACT:The interannual variations and the spatial distribution of rainfall in the Mediterranean and semi-arid regions of Israel are analysed with respect to variations in the occurrence of the typical synoptic systems of the Eastern Mediterranean. The synoptic analysis is based on a daily, semi-objective synoptic classification (Alpert et al., 2004a). The study covers the months November-March, in which 90% of the annual rainfall is obtained, mostly resulting from Cyprus lows. The interannual variations of the rainfall are well explained by the synoptic types, and the occurrences of Cyprus lows are highly correlated with the rainfall. It was found that the daily and seasonal rainfall are highly dependent on the depth of the cyclone. Moreover, deep lows are more effective for the mountainous regions, due both to the enhanced orographic effect and to the fact that stronger winds, associated with deep lows, are more efficient in transporting rain-producing clouds from the Mediterranean Sea inland. The location of the cyclone determines the spatial distribution of the rain it produces over Israel. The cyclones located east of Cyprus were found productive mainly for the southern parts of the study region, while those located to the west and north of Israel were found productive for the north of the country. The high sensitivity of the rainfall to the location of the surface cyclones emphasizes the major role that lower level moisture transport plays in rain formation.

Changes of the winter climate in the Mediterranean Basin (MB) for future A2 conditions are investigated for the period 2071-2100 and compared with the control period . The analysis is based on timeslice simulations of the latest version of the ECHAM model. First, the control simulation is evaluated with reanalysis data. The emphasis is given to synoptic and large-scale features and their variability in the MB. The model is found to be capable of reproducing the main features of the MB and southern Europe in the winter season. Second, the A2 simulation is compared with the control simulation, revealing considerable changes of the synoptic variability. Focusing on the synoptic spatio-temporal scale aims to unfold the dynamic background of the climatic changes. The Mediterranean cyclones, which are individually detected and tracked, decrease by 10% in the Western Mediterranean (WM) whereas no significant change is found in the Eastern Mediterranean. The cyclone intensity is slightly reduced in the entire region. To understand these changes, the underlying dynamical background is analyzed. It is found that changes in baroclinicity, static stability, transformation from eddy kinetic energy to kinetic energy of the mean flow and stationary wave activity are significant in particular in the WM and the coastline of North Africa. The reduction of cyclonic activity severely impacts the precipitation mainly in the southern part of the WM.

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