Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3354
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3354
03 Feb 2025
 | 03 Feb 2025
Status: this preprint is open for discussion and under review for Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences (NHESS).

Anatomy of a Flash Flood in a Hyperarid Environment: From Atmospheric Masses to Sediment Dispersal in the Sea

Akos Kalman, Timor Katz, Miklos Vincze, Jake Longenecker, Alysse Mathalon, Paul Hill, and Beverly Goodman-Tchernov

Abstract. Flash floods in rivers near hyper-arid coastlines impact both land and marine environments, from recharging groundwater and supporting desert ecosystems to affecting marine water quality, organisms, and substrates. Few studies, however, have followed these events from atmospheric origins to marine effects. This study tracked a desert flash flood in October 2016 in Eilat, capturing stages from atmospheric conditions to sediment distribution at sea. Observations included satellite data, meteorological reports, floodwater discharge, and sediment levels from the Kinnet Canal outlet, alongside offshore turbidity and salinity data. Our findings indicate that a weakened polar vortex amplified a Rossby wave, triggering convective instability over the Eastern Mediterranean and northern Red Sea. In Eilat, 128 % of the average annual rainfall occurred within hours, with the flood reaching the sea approximately 50 hours later and lasting 27 hours. Around 25,000 tons of sediment were discharged, causing offshore salinity drops (up to 1.75 ‰ below the seawater background) and fluctuations of suspended sediment concentrations due to varying flow rates. In turn, particle dispersal in the sea switched several times between hypopycnal and hyperpycnal flows. These findings link the different stages of the flood and their cascading effects from air masses to sedimentary processes in the sea.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
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Akos Kalman, Timor Katz, Miklos Vincze, Jake Longenecker, Alysse Mathalon, Paul Hill, and Beverly Goodman-Tchernov

Status: open (until 17 Mar 2025)

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Akos Kalman, Timor Katz, Miklos Vincze, Jake Longenecker, Alysse Mathalon, Paul Hill, and Beverly Goodman-Tchernov
Akos Kalman, Timor Katz, Miklos Vincze, Jake Longenecker, Alysse Mathalon, Paul Hill, and Beverly Goodman-Tchernov

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Short summary
Flash floods significantly impact terrestrial and marine systems, yet research tracing their entire path from atmospheric origins to sediment deposition is limited. Our study bridges this gap by analyzing satellite data, meteorological reports, and in-situ floodwater and sediment measurements. Findings reveal links between atmospheric disturbances, flood dynamics, and sediment transport, enhancing understanding of how extreme weather affects hyperarid coastal urbanized areas and marine systems.
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