Tropical nights in the Mediterranean: A spatiotemporal analysis of trends from 1950 to 2022

Abstract

The Mediterranean region, noted for its climatic uniqueness and rapid urban expansion, is a critical area for climate change studies. This research investigates the increase in extreme temperatures, particularly focusing on tropical nights and their socio‐economic implications. Our aim was to analyse the spatiotemporal changes, including long‐term variation and trends in the tropical night indices in the Mediterranean region over 73 years (1950–2022). To achieve this, we utilized ERA5‐Land reanalysis data, conducting a comparative analysis to highlight the differential impacts of urbanization on tropical nights in urban and non‐urban areas. The study reveals a significant rise in the frequency of tropical nights region‐wide. Specifically, the onset of the tropical night season is occurring earlier, with an advancement of approximately 17.3 days per decade, while the season's end is delayed by about 17.1 days per decade, effectively prolonging the duration of tropical nights. This change is most pronounced in urban areas, where tropical nights have increased more significantly compared to non‐urban regions, highlighting the exacerbating effect of urbanization on nocturnal temperature trends. Overall, our findings underline the combined effects of anthropogenic climate change and urban development on the increased occurrence and intensity of tropical nights in the Mediterranean region.