Ocean Science
Ocean Science
OS
Articles | Volume 22, issue 5
Articles | Volume 22, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2725-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2725-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 22, issue 5
Research article
 | 
09 Sep 2026
Research article |  | 09 Sep 2026

The added value of Med-CORDEX coupled high-resolution regional climate models in representing sea surface temperature and marine heatwaves in the Mediterranean Sea

Francesco De Rovere, Giulia Bonino, Ronan McAdam, Enrico Scoccimarro, Samuel Somot, Iván M. Parras-Berrocal, Bodo Ahrens, Vladimir Djurdjevic, Laurent Li, and Simona Masina

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2725-2026-supplement

Data sets

Mediterranean Sea Physical Reanalysis (CMEMS MED-Currents) (Version 1) R. Escudier et al. https://doi.org/10.25423/CMCC/MEDSEA_MULTIYEAR_PHY_006_004_E3R1

Mediterranean Sea - High Resolution Diurnal Subskin Sea Surface Temperature Analysis E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information (CMEMS) https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00170

Mediterranean Sea - High Resolution L4 Sea Surface Temperature Reprocessed E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information (CMEMS) https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00173

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Short summary
Marine heatwaves in the Mediterranean Sea are intensifying, posing growing threats to marine life and coastal communities. We evaluated if high-resolution regional climate models better capture these extremes compared to the global models driving them. Regional models reliably improve sea surface temperature patterns and marine heatwave duration, but struggle more with heatwave intensity. Higher horizontal resolution alone is not enough, advances in other model components are equally needed.
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