The Effect of Sea Surface Temperature and 2m Air Temperature on Precipitation Events in the Southern Coasts of Caspian Sea

There are a number of ideas to generate cloud and precipitation in the southern coasts of Caspian Sea, but none of them explain the cause of precipitation particularly heavy and super heavy precipitations precisely. This study describes main thermodynamic factors when the situation and location of synoptic patterns are effective. On the basis of daily data, monthly regimes and monthly trends of the Sea Surface Temperature (SST), difference between 2m air temperature and SST over the Caspian Sea as well as the SST gradients in different distances on latitude and its anomaly were calculated. For recognition of synoptic conditions, humidity advection, geopotential and sea level pressure maps were drawn. The results showed that there are three thermodynamic factors over the Caspian Sea to produce precipitation particularly from September to December. The first factor is arrangement and well organized of the SST gradients as it decreases from the south to the north of Caspian Sea. Also, the SST over the Sea must be enough warm to produce clouds and precipitation. The last factor is the difference between 2m air temperature and SST. When the synoptic patterns in different pressure levels are suitable for instability, the air-sea interaction process is the most important factor to produce the advection humidity, clouds and precipitation particularly heavier precipitation events in the north of Iran.