 Zorbas at peak intensity over the Ionian Sea | |
| Type | Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone |
|---|---|
| Formed | 27 September 2018 |
| Dissipated | 2 October 2018 |
| Highest winds |
|
| Highest gust | 75 mph (120 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 987 mb (29.15 inHg) |
| Fatalities | 6 dead, 2 missing |
| Damage | > $1 million (2018 USD) |
| Areas affected | Tunisia, Libya, Italy, Greece, Turkey |
Cyclone Zorbas, or Medicane Zorbas, was the first officially documented Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone, or medicane, since Cyclone Numa in 2017. Zorbas originated as an extratropical cyclone in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.[1] Warm sea surface temperatures allowed the system to quickly deepen and transition into a tropical cyclone. Zorbas intensified as it headed northward towards Greece, finally reaching its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h (75 mph) and a minimum central pressure of 987 mbar (29.15 inHg) on September 29.[2]
Heavy rain and flash flooding from Zorbas killed 5 people in Tunisia. One person was killed and two were declared missing in Greece.[3] The storm was estimated to have caused millions of dollars (2018 USD) in damages.[4]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
metfu2018was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
jm929was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Nick Austin (3 October 2018). "Cyclone floods parts of Greece, two people missing". FreightWaves. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
- ^ "Global Catastrophe Recap - September 2018" (PDF). Aon Benfield. 9 October 2018. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 December 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2020.