Warming may bring hurricanes to Mediterranean LONDON (Reuters) -
Global warming could trigger hurricanes, or tropical cyclones,
over the Mediterranean sea, threatening one of the world's most
densely populated coastal regions, according to European
scientists. Hurricanes currently form out in the tropical
Atlantic and rarely reach Europe, but a new study shows a 3
degrees Celsius (5.4 degrees Fahrenheit) rise in average
temperatures could set them off in the enclosed Mediterranean in
future. "This is the first study to detect this possibility,"
lead researcher Miguel Angel Gaertner of the University of
Castilla-La Mancha in Toledo, Spain, told Reuters on Monday.
"Most models in our study show increasing storm intensity and if
you combine this with rising sea levels, as are projected, this
could be damaging for many coastal settlements." As well as
being home to millions, the Mediterranean coast is also a major
centre of tourism, which would be under threat. Factors
influencing hurricanes include warm sea surf