The Mechanisms Behind Cyclone Clustering

The passage of multiple storms in a short period of time can cause extensive damage to society. Gale damage and floodings in February 2022 were caused by the cyclone family including storm Eunice, which affected large parts of high populated North-Western Europe. Extratropical cyclones grow on large and strong horizontal temperature gradients and transport extensive amounts of energy poleward which reduces the temperature gradients on which they grow. The existence of cyclone clusters is therefore paradoxical and yet not fully understood. It has been hypothesised that cyclone clusters are caused by large scale circulation patterns and that diabatic processes in extratropical cyclones can cause secondary cyclogenisis. Trough atmospheric observations, numerical simulations and theory this research project tries to disentangle the mechanisms behind cyclone clustering.