Insights into exceptional freshening events in the northern Adriatic Sea throughout 2023–2024

Krauzig, Naomi; Coluccelli, Alessandro; Memmola, Francesco; Penna, Pierluigi; Moro, Fabrizio; Zambianchi, Enrico; Falco, Pierpaolo

doi:10.5194/sp-7-osr10-17-2026

Articles | Volume 7-osr10

https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-7-osr10-17-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Report:

10th edition of the Copernicus Ocean State Report (OSR10)

https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-7-osr10-17-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 7-osr10

30 Sep 2026

| OSR10 | Chapter 4.3

| 30 Sep 2026 | OSR10 | Chapter 4.3

Insights into exceptional freshening events in the northern Adriatic Sea throughout 2023–2024

Naomi Krauzig, Alessandro Coluccelli, Francesco Memmola, Pierluigi Penna, Fabrizio Moro, Enrico Zambianchi, and Pierpaolo Falco

Data sets

High-resolution in-situ observation from the meteo-oceanographic buoy Fortunae offshore of Fano Fano Marine Center https://fanomarinecenter.eu/it/ricerca/boa-meteo-marina

High-resolution in-situ observations from the meteo-oceanographic Meda station offshore of Senigallia IRBIM-CNR https://gr.irbim.cnr.it/grafana/d/ddN5kDf7k/senigallia-meda?orgId=1&from=now-30d&to=now&timezone=browser

ERA5 hourly data on single levels from 1940 to present Hans Hersbach et al. https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.adbb2d47

River discharge and related historical data from the European Flood Awareness System, v5.0 C. Mazzetti et al. https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.e3458969

Mediterranean Sea High Resolution and Ultra High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature Analysis EU Copernicus Marine Service Product https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00172

Mediterranean Sea Physics Analysis and Forecast EU Copernicus Marine Service Product https://doi.org/10.48670/mds-00359

Mediterranean Sea Biogeochemistry Analysis and Forecast EU Copernicus Marine Service Product https://doi.org/10.48670/mds-00358

Mediterranean Sea, Bio-Geo-Chemical, L4, monthly means, daily gapfree and climatology Satellite Observations (Near Real Time) EU Copernicus Marine Service Product https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00298

Short summary

Between 2023 and 2024, the northern Adriatic Sea experienced extreme surface freshening driven by storms, heavy rainfall and river flooding. Using high-frequency in-situ data, satellite imagery, and Copernicus Marine Service products, this study traces the evolution, causes, and ecological impacts of these events. Salinity dropped to 15 g/kg, triggering stratification, turbidity peaks, and algal blooms. Findings stress the need for integrating autonomous monitoring into operational services.