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Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
World
RFI

'Medicane' storms to increase as climate change heats Mediterranean

Mediterranean Climate Change Libya Liz Stephens Flood Storm Daniel
A "medicane" pictured over Italy. Medicanes tend to form in the autumn when the sea is warm, usually in the western Mediterranean and the region between the Ionian Sea and the North African coast. © NASA Worldview Snapshots

The flash flood that killed thousands of people in Libya this week followed a "medicane" – a rare but destructive weather phenomenon that scientists believe will intensify in a warming world.

The term is an amalgamation of the words "Mediterranean" and "hurricane". Used by scientists and weather forecasters, it is less well-known to the wider public.

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