A mediterranean Cyclone – is on course to strike Italy & Greece in the next 24 hours as parts of the country are warned of torrential rainfall and intense winds.

The storm, often called a “Medicane” (Mediterranean + hurricane) has many features similar to tropical hurricanes and typhoons.
Models show the storm is a small but deep cyclone which was travelling north of Sicily on Friday morning and will intensify throughout the day while moving north.
These powerful storms usually happen during the months of September and October, when sea surface temperatures in the Mediterranean are still quite warm, although they can occur at any time of year.
The rainfall will be focused across eastern Sardinia, Sicily as well as over Calabria and Puglia regions – more than seven inches will be possible until Sunday morning.
The area most under threat are the Ionian islands on Greece’s western coast where the Hellenic National Meterological Office has put out a severe warning.

The system is expected to move slowly over northen thern Greece on Saturday before picking up speed and heading into Turkey on Monday.