<p>Mesoscale eddies dominate global ocean kinetic energy and are responsible for efficiently transferring ocean properties. The influence of ocean eddies in the western boundary currents on storm tracks has been studied in recent years, and their importance in regulating mid-latitude precipitation is now recognized. Unlike western boundary currents, mesoscale eddies in the Mediterranean Sea (MS) are smaller and less intense. Yet, the MS is rich in mesoscale activity, and its proximity to densely populated regions suggests that even a small change may have a large impact, which remains underexplored.</p><p> </p><p>In this talk, I present several recent studies in which we investigated the interactions between mesoscale eddies and cyclones in the Mediterranean region. These studies focused on specific Mediterranean tropical-like cyclones (medicanes), analyzing their evolution under different sea conditions using observations and model simulations. We find that mesoscale eddies in the MS can change the intensity and track of cyclones and, consequently, affect their resulting rainfall distribution over land. In general, warm-core eddies tend to intensify cyclones and increase precipitation above them relative to cold-core eddies. Additionally, we observe a general increase in surface ocean biogeochemical properties, such as phytoplankton and chlorophyll, following cyclone passages. This increase is driven by upwelling and vertical mixing, though the relative importance of these processes differs between warm- and cold-core eddies.</p>
