A rare type of storm system known as a “medicane” is taking aim at Greece on Thursday, according to forecasters.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said the strong, tropical-like system was tracking toward Greece, threatening to bring destructive winds, torrential rainfall and flooding.
The storm system had moved off the northern coast of Libya on Tuesday and drifted over the Mediterranean Sea, where it strengthened.
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In advance of the storm, Greece’s national meteorological service has issued a Red Alert, the highest available for winds, rain and stormy conditions, before its arrival.
The U.K.’s Met Office said the storm has been slowly strengthening and is forecast to turn south before reaching the coast of Greece on Friday.
“Heavy rain and strong winds expected over southwestern parts of Greece over the next couple of days,” the Met Office said.
The term “medicane” is a combination of the two words “Mediterranean” and “hurricane” due to the location of the storm.
A “medicane” will impact Greece by Friday, according to forecasters.
(NASA Worldview)
According to the Washington Post, that’s because tropical cyclones are unheard of in the Mediterranean due to it not being in the tropics and water temperatures generally not being warm enough to fuel a storm.
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But on rare occasions, such systems can form due to warm sea surface temperatures.
Medicanes are similar to hurricanes in that they feature strong winds that circle around an “eye” but don’t usually have such high wind speeds.
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According to the Greek Reporter, these types of storms can happen in the fall or early winter when warmer waters can fuel thunderstorms above.
Current sea surfaces in the Mediterranean are allowing for “perfect conditions” for the development of such storm systems, according to the news outlet.
While this latest storm may not cause widespread destruction, it is bringing strong winds and heavy rain.
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