Experts say the risk of tropical-like cyclones called medicanes have increased with this year’s record heatwaves affecting one of Ireland’s favourite holiday destinations and the rise in sea temperatures blamed on global warming.
“Sea temperatures this autumn are expected to be higher than normal and if the necessary atmosphere conditions are in place, it would not be unreasonable to think the Mediterranean could harbour a medicane this year.” Five medicanes, which can lead to life-threatening torrential rains and flash floods, are said to have been recorded in the Mediterranean basin since 2011.
A 22-year-old was killed and 32 people needed hospital treatment after a stage collapse at the Medusa electronic dance festival in Cullera near Valencia in the early hours of Saturday morning during a 50mph sandstorm. Thousands of revellers at Ibiza beach club Ushuaia were evacuated during a packed party late on Saturday as strong gusts of winds battered the area.
Specialist weather website tiempo.com, explaining winds can reach speeds of up to 93mph during a medicane, said: “After the hottest July on record, the Mediterranean has become a warm soup with temperatures of between 27 and 30 degrees Celsius.