Mediterranean Hurricanes

Why in news?

• Extra tropical storms in the Mediterranean Sea, known as ‘Medicanes’ or ‘Mediterranean Hurricanes’, could become more frequent due to human-induced climate change.

About Medicanes:

• Mediterranean tropical-like cyclones are meteorological phenomena observed over the Mediterranean Sea.
• Compared to tropical cyclones, The main societal hazard posed by Medicanes is not usually from destructive winds, but through life-threatening torrential rains and flash floods.
• Medicanes occur more in colder waters than tropical cyclones and thus the cores of these storms are also cold, as compared to the warm cores of tropical cyclones.  Warmer cores tend to carry more moisture (hence rainfall), are bigger in size and have swifter winds.
• The development of tropical-like cyclones can occur year-round, with activity historically peaking between the months of September and January, while the counts for the summer months of June and July are the lowest.
• The increase in Mediterranean cyclones could be due to increase in Sea Surface temperatures¸a phenomena associated with climate change. This could mean increasing and unpredictable flash floods in Mediterranean countries.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statements regarding “Mediterranean tropical-like cyclones”:
1.They tend to have higher wind velocities than tropical cyclones.
2.They occur only in winter in the Mediterranean region.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to prelims question