Mediterranean storm events

AFP English

Mediterranean storm events are periods of torrential rain which occur each year in certain regions around the Mediterranean Sea. Their intensity has increased due to the rise in global temperatures. VIDÉOGRAPHIE

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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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