The response of the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Seas to a summer Mistral event: A coupled atmosphere-ocean approach

► The COAMPS model reproduces the regional features of a Mistral event. ► The SST dropped by up to 3 °C over 72 h in model and observations. ► Interactive coupling led to a large reduction in stress and latent heat flux. ► This led to a reduction of the magnitude of SST cooling by up to 1 °C. ► Shear instability in inertial waves is important to surface cooling.