Storm Daniel

2023 storm in the Mediterranean Sea

Storm Daniel also known as Cyclone Daniel, was a Mediterranean tropical like cyclone that affected southeastern Europe. It was the deadliest and costliest Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone ever recorded as well as the deadliest cyclone worldwide since Cyclone Nargis in 2008. It was also the deadliest weather event of 2023 as of September 2023.[1] Atleast 6,850 have been confirmed death while around 10,000-1,000,000 are reportedly missing. Most of these fatalities occured in Libya.[2]

Background

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Beginning to take shape around September 4, 2023, this weather system formed as a low-pressure system. It had far-reaching effects, causing extensive flooding in Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey.[3] As time passed, this system transformed into a Mediterranean low, officially named Storm Daniel. Soon, it developed quasi-tropical characteristics (TLC) and moved towards the Libyan coast. There, it unleashed catastrophic flooding before weakening into a remnant low. This storm's formation was a consequence of an omega block, where a high-pressure zone became sandwiched between two low-pressure zones, forming a weather pattern resembling the Greek letter Ω.[4]

References

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  1. "Storm Daniel continues to sweep through the Mediterranean Basin | Copernicus". www.copernicus.eu. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  2. "Libya floods: Warning over shortage of body bags as fears of disease rise in Derna". Sky News. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  3. Kitsantonis, Niki; Kwai, Isabella (2023-09-06). "Extreme Rains Cause Flooding in Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey, Killing 14". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  4. "What is an omega block - and how is it causing our extreme weather?". Sky News. Retrieved 2023-09-15.