00:00Mediterranean storm events are periods of torrential rain, which occur each year in
00:14certain regions around the Mediterranean Sea, notably France, Spain and Italy.
00:19The equivalent of several months rain can fall in only a few days, or even a matter
00:24of hours.
00:25These phenomena are linked to rising warm, humid and unstable air coming from the sea.
00:31The wind pushes these air masses inland.
00:34When they come up against mountains, they rise.
00:37On contact with the cold air at altitude, the air cools and the water vapour it contains
00:43condenses and sinks, becoming violent and sometimes stationary storm clouds.
00:48These storms occur most frequently in autumn, when the sea is warmer and evaporation rates
00:53are high.
00:55The storms can also form in the absence of mountains, due only to the meteorological
01:00conditions.
01:01They are generally localised and can regenerate by creating a large bubble of cold air.
01:06This bubble reacts like a mountain by making the air mass rise while keeping the same position.
01:12The rainfall from these storms can lead to flash flooding and landslides.
01:16The consequences are aggravated by urbanisation and the covering of natural areas with concrete
01:22and bitumen.
01:23Studies have shown that the intensity of these Mediterranean storm events has increased due
01:28to the rise in global temperatures.
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