strong Mediterranean Cyclone ATHOS 10/03/2012

[DanieleItalyRm]

The Mediterranean cyclone ATHOS which formed over North Africa, extended beyond Sicily and South of Italy. Malta was near the eye of the cyclone and was the most vulnerable to strong gusts of wind blowing from the north east and estimated to reach up to 150km/h. It' s evident the strong sand/Dust-storm caused by the cyclone, which hit large part of central mediterranean and Sicily:













Athos he was continuously fed from a sub-tropical jet during its intensification and acquired a warm core:



Various localities have sustained damage in Tunisie, South Italy, Sicily and around the Maltese Is. The strong gusts of wind have felled trees, palms, roofs, road signs, toppled walls and broken electricity poles.
According to maps by the Aeronautica Militare Italiana, the wind reached force 10-11 on the Beaufort scale (which reaches a maximum of 12) and the waves generated are expected to be 6-9 metres high.
Many locality have exceeded 100-120 km/h.

Big waves and damage in Sicily; Many damage especially to crops of oranges and lemons:











Some areas of Sicily have reached 200 mm in 24/h:



An Italian ship Gelso M ran aground against the cliff for the Storm. The Italian coastguard said that the 19 crew were taken off by helicopter and were safe amid worsening conditions.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SljGgPa_l24









waterspout and two tornado were formed in South Sicily ;one of these caused a damage to the city of Modica:





Hailstorm over Carlentini (Siracusa):


An intense dust/storm hit North Africa and Sicily, especially Malta Is., Tunisie and Libya.
The city of Bengasi during the Storm:



Malta Is.:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvmZ-uE5 ... re=related



Floods and watherspout in Tunisie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UfmYRUr ... r_embedded





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6UTYO4E ... re=related


Mediterranean Cyclone Athos has caused many millions of damage.