Ten-Year Analysis of Mediterranean Coastal Wind Profiles Using Remote Sensing and In-Situ Measurements

Accurate near-surface wind speed and direction measurements are crucial for validating atmospheric models, especially for the purpose adequately assessing the interactions between the surface and wind, which in turn results in characteristic vertical profiles. Coastal regions pose unique challenges due to the discontinuity between land and sea and the complex interplay of atmospheric stability, topography, and boundary-layer dynamics. This study focuses on a unique database of wind profiles collected over several years at a World Meteorological Organization – Global Atmosphere Watch (WMO/GAW) coastal site in the southern Italian region of Calabria (Lamezia Terme, code: LMT). By leveraging remote sensing technologies, including wind lidar combined with in situ measurements, this work comprehensively analyses wind circulation at low altitudes in the narrowest point of the entire Italian peninsula. Seasonal, daily, and hourly wind profiles at multiple heights are analyzed, highlighting the patterns and variations induced by land-sea interactions. A case study integrating Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite images and in situ observations demonstrates the importance of multi-sensor approaches in capturing wind dynamics and validating model simulations. Data analyses demonstrate the occurrence of extreme events during the winter and spring seasons, linked to synoptic flows; fall seasons have variable patterns, while during the summer, low speed winds and breeze regimes tend to prevail. Prevailing circulation is of westerly nature, in accordance with other studies on large scale flows.