In the last few days, the thermometers have recorded extremely high values, in many Mediterranean areasoften exceeding the 40°C in the shadow from Spain to Greece. Consequently, also the Mar Mediterranean is undergoing a significant heating, a situation that represents a serious danger for the ecosystems marine. In addition, there is concern about the autumn outlook, but for entirely different reasons.
This summer, the Mediterraneanand to a lesser extent the Atlantic, have recorded temperatures well above seasonal averages. This situation is not without consequences.
In mid-August, the waters of the Mar Ligure have reached the 30°Cthose of the Southern Tyrrhenian they got closer to the 32°C. Even theAdriatic and it Ionian reach in some places the 30°C. And in the rest of the Mediterranean things are not going any better. These temperatures are 3 to 5°C higher at the average of the period, and reach the levels typical of tropical seas.
While it is pleasant for vacationers to swim in tropical waters, it is much less advantageous for the biodiversity. The consequences, although not immediately visible, are numerous: corals that bleach and die, fish that suffer from the lack of oxygen and invasive species that proliferate and approach our coasts.
The phenomenon of marine heat waves could have significant repercussions on the lives of the inhabitants of the Mediterranean coasts, with a increase in intense climatic phenomena, like the flash floods or tropical like cyclones typical of autumn. In fact, all the heat accumulated by the sea during the summer will remain present for a long time, influencing these seasonal phenomena which occur between September and November.
If the temperature of the Mediterranean remains high until autumn, the precipitation could be particularly intense due to this combination of a very warm sea with a climate that is starting to deteriorate. This will provide a lot of moisture to the atmosphere, increasing the potential for heavy rain and episodes of autumnal bad weather. Thealarm is particularly high this year, given that seasonal forecast models predict a significant excess of rain in October.
This warming of the Mediterranean could also play a dangerous role in the formation of storms, particularly in the creation of medicanesa fusion of the words “Mediterranean” and “hurricane” (Mediterranean Hurricane). These are small but exceptionally powerful storms. Their characteristics, similar to those of hurricanes or tropical cyclones, require warm waters, a condition that is more present than ever this year.
The recent storm that hit the Balearics, especially the island of Formenterais a warning of what could happen with even greater intensity in the coming months.
