Rare tropical storm forms in the Mediterranean Sea

November 9, 2011 – FRANCE – A tropical storm (possibly a subtropical hybrid) has formed in the Mediterranean Sea. No, this isn’t a typo. Take a look at the satellite imagery above from early Tuesday morning. Circled in white is the storm south of France and to the west of Italy. Although rare, this is not an unprecedented event. According to the Hurricane Research Division of NOAA, low-pressure systems resembling tropical storms and hurricanes have occurred in September 1947, September 1969, January 1982, September 1983 and January 1995. Due to their rarity, they have not been fully studied so there is some question as to whether these systems have the same structure as tropical storms found over the tropical waters in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The storm is forecast to weaken as it moves slowly near the southern coast of France and northwest Italy. This is the same region of Italy which has been hit hard by flooding in recent weeks, so any additional rain from this system would be a very unwelcome sight. –The Weather Channel

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