An estimate of the E-P of the Mediterranean Sea between 1979 and 2000 using satellite precipitation data

Monthly, high-resolution data of precipitation measured from satellite and recently made available (DAAC-GPCP) constitute the basis for an assessment of the evolution of the difference between evaporation and precipitation (E-P) of the Mediterranean Sea between 1979 and 2000. Evaporation data are obtained from NCEP re-analyses. The analysis of data shows an increase in evaporation and a decrease in precipitation, and consequently, an increase of the E-P for the two decades. Adopting two recent estimates for the river runoff, the mean water budget (E-P-R) is evaluated, resulting in good agreement with measures carried out during the CANIGO experiment. Considerations regarding possible connections with main climate indexes show the well-known relation between the precipitation rate in the Mediterranean and NAO index, while a clear connection with ENSO appears difficult to demonstrate clearly.