The Bora wind event occurred in winter 2012 was exceptional in terms of both meteorological effects and impact on the Adriatic Sea circulation. It was associated with intense and persistent winds, very cold temperatures all over the Mediterranean basin and heavy snowfall over the Apennines slopes exposed to north-easterly winds, and it was responsible for triggering dense water formation and driving basin-scale oceanic circulation. The cooling period (29 January - 13 February) was characterized by intense air-sea exchanges of momentum and heat, whose accurate simulation is required for a proper description of atmospheric and ocean circulations.