Under Watch: The possibility of a storm with subtropical characteristics developing in the central Mediterranean during the next two days

Arabia Weather - As we enter the climatic autumn season, which begins on September 1, the weather systems in the northern hemisphere began to witness several changes in their distribution, as an air high intensified in the high layers of the atmosphere and its thermal dome over large areas of the west and In the middle of the European continent and causing a strong heat wave to occur in those areas, and on both sides of this high two upper waves rushed, one of which over Spain and northwest Africa and led to severe weather disturbances and floods, while the other rushed into the central Mediterranean Sea and is affecting... The Balkan countries and Greece were hit by very heavy rains and massive floods.

The upper wave that descended into the central Mediterranean crystallized into the formation of a deep depression carrying large amounts of rain over parts of the Balkan countries, including Greece and western Turkey.

Specialists at the Arab Regional Weather Center are monitoring the possibility that this depression will acquire sub-tropical characteristics during the next few days, over the wide maritime region located between the island of Crete and the coasts of Libya and Italy, which is currently characterized by warm sea water, which is considered the fuel in such... This condition is to give this weather condition more energy, in conjunction with the presence of a cold air mass in the upper layers of the atmosphere.

These tropical characteristics, if acquired by the depression, will appear on the ground in the form of a noticeable increase in atmospheric turbulence from the intensity of thunderstorms, in addition to an increase in the speed of wind rotation and currents around the center of the depression, which makes the depression may appear in a form similar to tropical systems from satellite images. .

The formation of subtropical storms (or Mediterranean hurricanes) in the central Mediterranean Sea is considered rare at the beginning of September, as the small water surface area of the Mediterranean Sea (compared to the oceans) in addition to the relatively low temperatures of its waters makes their formation unusual. While it is more common in the western Mediterranean, especially in November.

It is believed that the succession of heat waves in southern Europe and the stability of the atmosphere in many periods led to an increase in the chances of Mediterranean storms occurring, as their formation generally requires very warm water temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea that exceed the 26 degree Celsius barrier, as sea temperatures rise. This necessarily means more moisture is available for thunderstorms, and therefore more energy.

The latest weather maps through computer simulation models indicate that the depression will continue its path towards the coasts of eastern Libya at the beginning of next week, coinciding with its transition to weather conditions that are more conducive to its development and acquisition of semi-tropical characteristics, leading to heavy thunderstorms on the eastern coasts. to Libya and may continue its advance towards the Egyptian coast, but this requires further follow-up in the coming days.