Review Article: Explosive cyclogenesis over the south-east of Romania 2–3 December 2012

Abstract. This paper is devoted to the study of the synoptic-dynamical conditions that contributed to the development of a rare explosive cyclogenesis event that occurred at the beginning of the winter from 2012 to 2013 in south-eastern Romania, more precisely between 2 and 3 December 2012. The minimum sea level pressure observed was 980.2 hPa, the lowest ever observed record for the surface of the Sulina weather station, and also over the western side of the Black Sea during the of period 1961–2000 and 1965–2004. It was found that the cyclone was not a regular one, but a real "meteorological bomb" one, where the central pressure at sea level recorded an extraordinary decrease at about 32.3 hPa in 24 h, equivalent with 1.7 B (Bergeron unit). Compared to the 20th century storms named Lothar and Martin (level 2 and 1 on the hurricane scale) which devastated western and central Europe in December 1999, this case of explosive cyclogenesis can be considered one of the most extreme for our area, from both a meteorological view as well as its effects.