Extreme Storm Causes Infrastructure Damage and Raises Concerns of Potential Medicanes in Mediterranean

In addition to the unfortunate death of a man, the storm has caused significant damage to the region’s infrastructure. This includes the breaking of the previous daily rainfall record of 0.64 meters, which occurred during Mediterranean Cyclone Janus in September 2020.

The office responsible for weather reports categorized the storm as a “category 5 precipitation event,” indicative of its extreme nature. In the coming days, the situation may worsen as a tropical-like cyclone, known as a medicane, could develop in the Mediterranean. This potential development is fueled by an ongoing marine heat wave, which has created the necessary conditions for the formation of such a weather system. Medicanes typically require ocean temperatures of 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit) to form, and the current warmth in the region supports this sub-tropical development. If the medicane does form, it could bring wind gusts of around 62 miles per hour, although its exact trajectory is uncertain. These extreme weather events can be attributed, in part, to warmer ocean temperatures that increase evaporation, leading to more moisture in the air and ultimately the formation of storms. The flooding in Greece further compounds their ongoing challenges, as they are already dealing with the European Union’s largest recorded wildfire. The fire, still out of control in a nature reserve, has added to the recovery efforts following numerous fires that occurred during the summer.