Potential for Strong Medicane to Hit Southwestern Greece

Weather experts are expecting an intense tropical-like cyclone to hit the Ionian sea, southwest of Greece, in the coming hours, which besides gale force winds may cause flash flooding.

Dubbed ‘medicane’, the phenomenon observed in an area of low pressure in the Mediterranean Sea, is expected to develop early Friday morning moving into the Ionian Sea early on Saturday. Most medicanes do not reach hurricane strength.

“While still many uncertainties are present, high resolution models are picking up a very intense cyclone bringing even hurricane force winds into the region,” according to severe weather resource website Severe Weather Europe.

Medicanes are most likely to develop in two hot spots: in the western Mediterranean, between Spain and the islands of Sardinia and Corsica, and in the Ionian Sea, just southeast of Malta and the Italian peninsula.

No Ferries Due to High Winds

In the meantime, ferry boats from the ports of Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio will not be carrying out their itineraries due to high winds.

Ferry connections at Rio-Antirio, Agia Marina-Nea Styra, Arkitsa-Edipsos, Volos-Sporades, and Kavala-Prinos are also closed.

We advise travelers to contact port authorities ahead of travel: Piraeus: ☏ 14944 – 14541 – 210-4172675; Rafina: ☏ 22940-28888; Lavrio: ☏ 22920-26589, 22920-25249.