Effects of land-sea distribution on the mid latitude climatic response to anthropogenic forcing

The warming observed on the Earth over the last decades is not homogeneous: different characteristics of the surface are responsible for a faster temperature rise over continents than over oceans, for a strong polar amplification, and for an elevation-dependent warming.

In this talk, atmospheric thermodynamical and dynamical processes associated to the differential warming will be presented. In particular, the effects of land-sea contrasts on mid latitude meteorological variability, including the occurrence of winter cold spells, heavy precipitations, and droughts will be discussed.